Comments on: Clear or Disable Recently Run or Frequently Used Programs List in Vista Start Menu

By: Rocco IV

Rocco IV — Sat, 22 Nov 2008 03:09:10 +0000

If you want to properly erase your recent items history from vista ultimate on your start menu. Try this step first before editing your registry keys. You’ll find it to be much easier and much more effective. Not only can you clear the list entirely but you can selectively remove certain items while leaving the remainder.

Step 1:

Go to the following Command line

C:\Users\YourUserNameHere\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Recent

Step 2:

Delete the selected short cuts. You can delete some or all.

Step 3:

Empty Recycling Bin.

Step 4:

Verify that the deleted contents found within your Recent Items folder are in fact deleted.

Done!

Allo other methods that I have found require more difficult procedures such as editing reg keys and logging off. This seems to be the easiest and has proven reliable.

Please note the files can be restored from a prior date using more advanced methods. I will show how to trace recent items history in another entry.

Thank you.

Rocco IV

By: sam

sam — Tue, 09 Sep 2008 13:34:09 +0000

well yes that does clear the list from the start menu but they are still on your hard drive somewhere.. anybody know where the recent docs folder is on vista? its not in my start bar

By: Marcel

Marcel — Tue, 28 Aug 2007 21:50:59 +0000

Thanks for usefull information!

By: Clear Recent Items List in Windows Vista » My Digital Life

Clear Recent Items List in Windows Vista » My Digital Life — Thu, 23 Aug 2007 06:21:48 +0000

[...] Items in Vista Start Menu (not to be confused with recent programs list) provides an easy access shortcut to most recently used files, documents, spreadsheets, worksheets, [...]