How do you delete recent files in Windows 10? If you’re looking to clear out your recent file history to maintain privacy or simply to free up some space on your computer, you’ve come to the right place. Windows 10 stores a list of recently accessed files, which can be useful for quick access but may also clutter your system. In this article, we’ll guide you through the steps to delete recent files in Windows 10, ensuring that your computer remains clean and efficient.
In Windows 10, the recent files feature is part of the File Explorer, which keeps track of the documents, pictures, and other files you’ve recently opened. This feature is designed to make it easier to find files you’ve been working on, but it can also lead to unnecessary clutter if you’re not careful. Deleting recent files is a straightforward process, and we’ll walk you through it step by step.
First, you’ll need to open File Explorer. You can do this by clicking on the File Explorer icon on the taskbar, or by pressing the Windows key + E on your keyboard. Once File Explorer is open, follow these steps:
1. Click on the “View” tab at the top of the window.
2. Look for the “Options” button on the right side of the ribbon and click on it.
3. In the “View” tab of the Folder Options window, select the “Show recently used files in the Quick Access menu” checkbox and uncheck it. This will remove the recent files from the Quick Access menu.
4. Click “OK” to save your changes.
If you want to delete the entire list of recent files, you can follow these additional steps:
1. Open the Run dialog box by pressing the Windows key + R on your keyboard.
2. Type “shell:AppsFolder” and press Enter. This will open the Apps folder.
3. Navigate to the “Microsoft.Windows.FileExplorer_cw5n1h2txyewy!App” folder.
4. Right-click on the “Recent” folder and select “Delete.”
5. Confirm the deletion when prompted.
Alternatively, you can delete recent files by using the File Explorer’s search function:
1. In File Explorer, click on the search bar at the top right corner of the window.
2. Type “recent” in the search bar and press Enter.
3. This will display a list of recent files. You can right-click on any file and select “Delete” to remove it from the list.
Remember that deleting recent files will not delete the actual files from your computer; it will only remove them from the list. If you need to delete the files themselves, you’ll need to navigate to the file’s location and delete them from there.
By following these steps, you can easily delete recent files in Windows 10 and keep your computer organized and running smoothly.
