Windows 7 - Clear Recent Items and Documents on Exit of Windows 7

**Dinesh**

How to Clear Recent Items and Documents on Exit of Windows 7

Information

This will show you how to have recent items and documents clear when exiting Windows 7. Clearing Recent Items will also clear the Recent items in Jump Lists as well.

Here's How:

1: Click Start, type gpedit.msc and press ENTER.

2: Click on Yes to accept UAC prompt.

3: Navigate to User Configuration\Administrative Templates\Start Menu and Taskbar.

4: On the right pane, double-click on Clear history of recent opened documents on exit. (See screenshot above)

5. To Enable Clear history of recent opened documents on exit
A) Select (dot) Enabled, and click on OK.

6. To Disable Clear history of recent opened documents on exit
A) Select (dot) Not configured or Enabled, and click on OK.

7: Close the Local group Policy Editor and restart your computer.

Thats it,

Dinesh.

Related Tutorials

**dw96** · 06-03-2009

Awesome! Thanks a lot. Rep''d you

**Dinesh** · 06-03-2009

You are Welcome Mate.

ViperMWC · 09-11-2009

Thanks Dinesh,
For me this was a very interesting look at some of the inner workings of the OS. As I do a lot of back and forthing with programs, losing all the clutter with a log off or restart is just what I needed.
While in the Editor I spotted how to put a Run icon in the Start Up Menu, so that's 2 birds with one stone. Most excellent.

I'm not sure if this is the place to ask, but doing some reading on the items listed in this area I was wondering just as a piece of information, what this meant.
"If you enable this setting, certain notification balloons that are marked as feature advertisements will not be shown."
What on earth is a 'feature advertisement'. Surely Bill and the boys are not trying to flog us stuff from inside the system

Real good tutorial, thanks.
All the best,
Mick C.

**Dinesh** · 09-11-2009

LOL thanks Mick.

deejay22 · 10-28-2009

Thanks. But where are the recent items stored? I want to add it to my Favourites so I can easily access them every time I click open or go to explorer, but I don't know which folder it is.

Thanks.

**Dinesh** · 10-28-2009

Quote: Originally Posted by deejay22

Thanks. But where are the recent items stored? I want to add it to my Favourites so I can easily access them every time I click open or go to explorer, but I don't know which folder it is.

Thanks.

Hi deejay, the recent items are stored in
C:\Users\username\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Recent

jackquals · 01-24-2010

I tried to follow the step on the top. It showed me "no items match your search" after I typed "pgedit.msc". How can?

**derekimo** · 01-24-2010

Quote: Originally Posted by jackquals

I tried to follow the step on the top. It showed me "no items match your search" after I typed "pgedit.msc". How can?

Are you using home premium? I don't get it either, I think it's Ultimate and Pro.
Just a guess.

**CarlTR6** · 01-24-2010

Good tutorial and I thank you.