How to Remove Recent Files from File Explorer Home in Windows 11 Advanced Settings
Removing recent files from the File Explorer home screen in Windows 11 hides your recently opened documents, photos, and videos from anyone else who uses your computer. Windows 11 saves a list of your most recent items in File Explorer , the Start menu , and taskbar jump lists so you can reopen them quickly.
On a shared family PC or an office laptop, that list can show sensitive files to other people. You can clear the list and stop Windows from saving more history. This tutorial covers four ways to do it: File Explorer options, the Settings app, the Local Group Policy Editor, and the Windows Registry. Start with the first two, which work on every edition.
Open File Explorer , click the See more button (three dots), select Options, go to the Privacy section, and click Clear next to “Clear File Explorer history”. Uncheck “Show recently used files” and “Show frequent folders” to stop Windows from recording new files going forward.
Method 1Clear Recent Files Directly from File Explorer Options
Clearing File Explorer history wipes the current list of recent items immediately. It does not stop Windows from building a new list as you keep working, so read the next section if you want that too. Clearing does not remove pinned items or favorites, and it does not delete the files themselves. It only removes the shortcuts to them.
- Open File Explorer by clicking its icon on the taskbar , or press the Win plus E. You should see the File Explorer window, usually opening on Home.
- Click the See more button, the three horizontal dots near the top of the File Explorer window. A drop-down menu appears.
- Click Options. The Folder Options window opens.
- Stay on the General tab and look toward the bottom for the Privacy section.
- Click the Clear button next to the text “Clear File Explorer history”. There is no confirmation prompt. The click takes effect straight away.
- Click Apply, then click OK to close the window.
Your File Explorer home screen should now be empty of recently opened files and folders. If old entries still show, close File Explorer and open it again to refresh the view.
Method 2Turn Off Recent Files Completely in File Explorer
If you only clear the history, Windows starts filling the list again the next time you open a file. To stop that, turn off the two tracking options in the same Folder Options window. With both off, File Explorer stops recording the documents and folders you open, and the Home screen no longer shows them.
- Open File Explorer from the taskbar or the Start menu .
- Click the See more button (the three horizontal dots) at the top.
- Select Options to open the Folder Options window.
- On the General tab, find the Privacy section near the bottom. It has two checkboxes:
- Show recently used files
- Show frequent folders
- Uncheck both boxes so that no checkmark appears in either one.
- Click Apply, then click OK.
That keeps your future browsing private from anyone who shares your computer. It does not erase what was already saved, so click Clear under “Clear File Explorer history” as well if you want a clean slate. To undo this, tick the two boxes again.
Method 3Manage Recent Items Using the Windows Settings App
The Settings app has a switch that controls recent items in the Start menu and in taskbar jump lists. It works on both Home and Pro, and it does not need a restart. Use it together with the File Explorer options above, since the two cover different places.
- Click the Start menu, then click the Settings app icon, which looks like a gear. You can also press the Windows Key plus I. The Settings window opens.
- Click Personalization in the left-hand sidebar.
- Scroll down the right side of the screen and click Start.
- Look at the toggle switches on this page. You will see options for recently added apps, most used apps, and recently opened items. The last one is labeled Recently opened items in Start, Jump Lists, and File Explorer. Exact wording can vary a little between builds.
- Click the toggle next to Recently opened items in Start, Jump Lists, and File Explorer to set it to Off. The switch should change to show Off.
Turning this off stops Windows from showing your latest file activity in the Start menu and in taskbar shortcut lists. Windows normally tracks up to 20 recently opened documents for these views. Hiding them matters if other people use your computer, because they won't see the personal photos, financial spreadsheets, or work documents you opened recently. To undo it, return to this page and switch the toggle back to On.
Method 4Advanced Control Using the Local Group Policy Editor
The Local Group Policy Editor (a tool for changing advanced system settings) can block recent item tracking by policy. It is included only in Pro, Enterprise, and Education editions of Windows 11. On Windows 11 Home, the tool is not available, so skip to the Registry method below.
- Press the Windows Key plus R to open the Run dialog box.
- Type gpedit.msc into the box and press Enter or click OK. The Local Group Policy Editor window opens. If Windows says it cannot find the file, you are on Home edition.
- In the left sidebar, navigate to Administrative Templates Start Menu and Taskbar. The original steps pointed to Computer Configuration. This policy is a per-user setting, so look under User Configuration first. It is the same area the Registry method below changes.
- Scroll through the list of settings on the right side and find the policy named Do not keep history of recently opened documents.
- Double-click that policy to open its configuration window.
- Select the Enabled radio button. This tells Windows not to keep any history of your opened documents.
- Click Apply, then click OK to save the setting.
- Restart your computer so the change takes full effect.
To undo this, open the same policy again and select Not Configured, then click Apply and OK.
Method 5Advanced Control Using the Graphical Registry Settings
It works on Home as well as Pro. Be careful here: a wrong edit can cause problems. Before you start, you can click File Export in the Registry Editor to save a backup copy.
- Press the Windows Key plus R to open the Run dialog box.
- Type regedit and press Enter to open the Registry Editor. Click Yes if a User Account Control prompt asks for permission.
- In the left-hand tree view, navigate to HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer. If the Explorer key does not exist under Policies, right-click Policies, select New, click Key, and name it Explorer.
- Right-click any empty space on the right side of the window, select New, and then choose DWORD (32-bit) Value.
- Name the new value exactly NoRecentDocsHistory. A typo means Windows will ignore it.
- Double-click the new NoRecentDocsHistory value and change the Value data box from 0 to 1. For a value of 1, the Hexadecimal and Decimal base options give the same result.
- Click OK to save the change.
- Close the Registry Editor and restart your computer to apply the setting.
To undo this, go back to the same key and either set NoRecentDocsHistory to 0 or delete the value, then restart.
Summary
Managing your recent files in Windows 11 protects your privacy and keeps your workspace tidy. You can clear your file history by hand, turn off tracking in Folder Options, switch off recent items in the Settings app, or use Group Policy and the Registry on a machine where you want the setting enforced. For most people, clearing the history and turning off the two Privacy checkboxes is enough. Add the Settings toggle if you also want the Start menu and jump lists cleaned up.
Frequently asked questions
How to clear recent files 🪟 Windows 11?
To clear recent files in Windows 11, open File Explorer, select See more (the three dots), then Options. On the General tab, under Privacy, select Clear, then OK. This removes the list of recent items right away. It does not delete your files or stop Windows from adding new ones.
How to turn off recent files in 🪟 Windows 11?
To turn off recent files in Windows 11, open Settings, go to Personalization, then Start. Switch off Show recently opened items in Start, Jump Lists, and File Explorer. Windows then stops adding new items to the list. Entries already there stay until you clear them.
How to disable recent files in 🪟 Windows 11?
To disable recent files in Windows 11, open Settings, go to Personalization, then Start, and switch off Show recently opened items in Start, Jump Lists, and File Explorer. Windows will stop tracking what you open. Afterward, clear the old list from File Explorer Options so no past items remain.
How to delete recent files in 🪟 Windows 11?
To delete recent files from the list in Windows 11, clear your File Explorer history. Open File Explorer, select See more, then Options. Under Privacy on the General tab, select Clear, then OK. The shortcuts disappear, but the files stay where they are on your PC.
How to clear 🪟 Windows 11 recent files list?
To clear the Windows 11 recent files list, open File Explorer Options and select Clear on the General tab, under Privacy. This empties the recent items shown in File Explorer. Pinned items stay put, and your actual files are not deleted. Turn off the recent items setting in Settings if you want to stop new entries.
How to remove explorer from 🪟 Windows 11?
You cannot remove File Explorer from Windows 11, because it is a core part of the system. To change how it behaves, open File Explorer Options to choose what it opens to, or turn off recent items in Settings under Personalization, then Start. If you want a different file manager, install a third-party app and use it instead.
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About the Author
Richard
Tech Writer, IT Professional
Richard is a writer at Geek Rewind who turns complex IT tasks into clear, step-by-step guides. He draws on years of hands-on experience in system administration and enterprise IT operations, focusing on Windows, Linux and WordPress: the problems people actually run into, and the fixes that work. His server and WordPress guides come from systems he runs himself. Richard builds and maintains the platform behind Geek Rewind, from its Ubuntu servers and Nginx configuration to its custom WordPress plugins. Many new tutorials start with readers' questions, and he's always glad to answer them in the comments.
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