Guide to Turning On or Off Recent Items and Frequent Places in Windows 10

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Guide to Turning On or Off Recent Items and Frequent Places in Windows 10

Windows 10 stores a list of your recent files and frequently accessed folders, known as Recent Items and Frequent Places, to help you quickly reopen them. These items can be found in the Start menu, File Explorer, and Jump Lists. While this feature can be helpful, you may want to disable it for privacy reasons or personal preference. This guide will show you how to turn on or off Recent Items and Frequent Places in Windows 10.

Method 1: Using the Settings Menu

The easiest way to enable or disable Recent Items and Frequent Places is through the Settings menu.

Steps to Turn On or Off Recent Items and Frequent Places:
1. Click the Start menu and select Settings (the gear icon).
2. In the Settings window, click on Personalization.
3. In the left-hand sidebar, click on Start.
4. Scroll down and look for the option labeled Show recently opened items in Jump Lists on Start or the taskbar and in File Explorer Quick Access.
5. Toggle the switch On to enable Recent Items and Frequent Places.
6. Toggle the switch Off to disable Recent Items and Frequent Places.

Method 2: Using File Explorer Options

You can also manage Recent Items and Frequent Places directly from File Explorer options.

Steps:
1. Open File Explorer by pressing Windows + E.
2. Click on the View tab at the top of the window.
3. In the View ribbon, click on Options (on the far right), and then select Change folder and search options.
4. In the Folder Options window, make sure you are in the General tab.
5. Under the Privacy section, you will see two checkboxes:
  - Show recently used files in Quick access
  - Show frequently used folders in Quick access
6. To enable Recent Items and Frequent Places, check both boxes.
7. To disable Recent Items and Frequent Places, uncheck both boxes.
8. Click Apply and OK to save your changes.

Method 3: Clearing Recent Items and Frequent Places

If you want to clear the list of Recent Items and Frequent Places without turning off the feature completely, you can do so through File Explorer Options.

Steps to Clear Recent Items and Frequent Places:
1. Open File Explorer by pressing Windows + E.
2. In the ribbon at the top, click the View tab, and then click Options on the right.
3. In the Folder Options window, go to the General tab.
4. Under the Privacy section, click the Clear button.
5. This will remove all recent items and frequently used folders from Quick Access and other locations.
6. Click OK to close the window.

Method 4: Using Group Policy Editor (Windows 10 Pro or Enterprise)

If you're using Windows 10 Pro or Enterprise, you can use the Group Policy Editor to manage Recent Items and Frequent Places for all users.

Steps to Turn Off Recent Items and Frequent Places via Group Policy:
1. Press Windows + R to open the Run dialog box.
2. Type gpedit.msc and press Enter to open the Local Group Policy Editor.
3. In the left-hand pane, navigate to the following path:
 

Code:

User Configuration > Administrative Templates > Start Menu and Taskbar

4. In the right-hand pane, double-click on Do not keep a history of recently opened documents.
5. Select Enabled to disable Recent Items and Frequent Places.
6. Click Apply and OK.
7. Restart your computer for the changes to take effect.

To re-enable Recent Items and Frequent Places, follow the same steps but select Disabled or Not Configured in step 5.

Method 5: Using the Registry Editor

For advanced users, you can enable or disable Recent Items and Frequent Places using the Windows Registry. This method works for all editions of Windows 10, including Home.

Steps to Turn Off Recent Items and Frequent Places via Registry Editor:
1. Press Windows + R to open the Run dialog box.
2. Type regedit and press Enter to open the Registry Editor.
3. In the Registry Editor, navigate to the following key:
 

Code:

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Advanced

4. On the right-hand side, look for a DWORD value named Start_TrackDocs.
  - If it doesn't exist, right-click on an empty space, select New > DWORD (32-bit) Value, and name it Start_TrackDocs.
5. To disable Recent Items and Frequent Places, set the value of Start_TrackDocs to 0.
6. To enable Recent Items and Frequent Places, set the value to 1.
7. Close the Registry Editor and restart your computer for the changes to take effect.

Method 6: Disable Recent Items in Jump Lists (Optional)

If you want to disable Recent Items from appearing in Jump Lists but keep them in File Explorer, you can do this via the Settings menu.

Steps:
1. Open Settings by clicking the Start menu and selecting the gear icon.
2. Click on Personalization and then click Start from the left sidebar.
3. Toggle off the option labeled Show recently opened items in Jump Lists on Start or the taskbar.
4. This will remove Recent Items from Jump Lists, but they will still appear in File Explorer if enabled.

Conclusion

Managing Recent Items and Frequent Places in Windows 10 helps you keep track of your activity or maintain your privacy, depending on your needs. Whether you want to enable, disable, or clear these items, Windows 10 offers several ways to customize how recent files and frequently accessed folders are handled. Follow the method that suits your preference to manage this feature effectively.