File Explorer is the new Windows Explorer in Windows 10, the default application to manage files. When you browse through the folders, opening files, the File Explorer saves these footprints as the recent file history. This article is to show you how to clean up this saved recent history in Windows 10.
How many recent file locations in Windows 10?
File Explorer saves the recent file history not in only one place, but in a few locations. Let’s knowing walk through them so we know how many of them to deal with.
Quick Access
When you are in Quick Access, there are un-pinned folders listed under Quick Access on the left, and a list of recent files, 20 of them by default, listed on the right under frequent folders section.
Frequent places
Click File in File Explorer and you will see a list of frequently accessed places on the right pane, 10 of them by default.
The Jump List
Right-click the File Explorer icon on the taskbar and you will see the Frequent list shown in the what’s called Jump List.
How to clean up the recent history
Now let’s get down to the business, clean up the recent history places mentioned above.
The quick and easiest way is to open Folder Options by clicking File in File Explorer and choosing Options.
And click the Clear button to clean up both recently used files and frequently used folders in Quick access.
Alternatively, you can also clean up the list by deleting the content in the following folders.
%appdata%\Microsoft\Windows\Recent\ %APPDATA%\Microsoft\Windows\Recent\AutomaticDestinations\ %APPDATA%\Microsoft\Windows\Recent\CustomDestinations\
and delete a registry key called TypedPaths under the following location:
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer
That’s about it. Hope it helps.
I have completely disabled file history for “clears throat” privacy reasons.
I actually find the quick access quite useful and use it quite a lot. But hey, there is absolutely nothing wrong completely disabling it.
It’s a matter of preference.