Recent Items - Clear Document History on Exit

INFO: This will show you how to enable or disable Vista to clear the recently opened documents history for when the current user account logs off. This way the Recent Items menu button on the Start menu is always empty when the user logs on. This is disable by default in Vista.

WHY: If you have only one user account on your computer that is shared with other users, then this can be handy to keep each user's recently opened document history private when they log off or shutdown.

NOTE: This will need to be done from within the user account you want this applied to.

WARNING: This does not clear the Recent Programs history on exit. This will still need to be manually done. For how, see Method One - Option One here: How to Clear the Recent Items List History in Vista

RELATED LINKS:
1. How to Fix Recent Programs Not Being Remembered in Vista

2. How to Customize the Start Menu in Vista

3. How to Pin a Program Icon to the Start Menu in Vista

4. How to Add or Delete a Shortcut or Folder From the Start Menu in Vista

5. How to Change the Start Menu to Classic View in Vista

6. How to Pin a Folder Icon to the Start Menu in Vista

7. How to Display Small or Large Icons in the Vista Start Menu

8. How to Turn the Recent Items List On or Off in Vista

9. How to Clear the Recent Items List History in Vista

10. How to Change the Number of Recent Programs to Display in the Vista Start Menu


EXAMPLE: Recent Items Menu Button on the Start Menu

Recent_Items.jpg


METHOD ONE:
Through the Local Group Policy Editor :
NOTE: This is only available for the Vista Business, Ultimate, and Enterprise versions. See Method Two below for Vista Home Basic and Home Premium versions.

1. Open the Start Menu.
2. In the white line (Start Search) area, type gpedit.msc and press Enter.
3. Click Continue for the UAC prompt.
4. In the left pane, click on User Configuration, Administrative Templates, Start Menu and Taskbar. (See screenshot below)
5. In the right pane, right click on Clear history of recently opened documents on exit and click Properties.

Group_Policy.jpg

6. To Enable Clear Recent Items History on Exit -
A) Dot Disabled or Not Configured and click OK. (See screenshot below)
B) Go to step 8.

7. To Disable Clear Recent Items History on Exit -
A) Dot Enabled and click OK.

Properties.jpg

8. Close Local Group Policy Editor window. Your done.


METHOD TWO:
Through the Registry :
NOTE: This will work for all Vista versions.

Through a Download:
1. To Enable Clear Recent Items History on Exit -
A) Enable_Clear_Recent_Items_On_Exit.reg < Click To Download

2. To Disable Clear Recent Items History on Exit -
A) Disable_Clear_Recent_Items_On_Exit.reg < Click To Download

3. Click on Save, and save the .reg file to the Desktop.
4. Right click the .reg (On Desktop) file and click Merge.
5. Click on the Run button for Security Warning pop-up.
6. Click on Continue (UAC), Yes, and then OK when prompted.
7. When done, you can delete the .reg file (On Desktop).


The Manual Way:
1. Open the Start Menu.
2. In the white line (Start Search) area, type regedit and press Enter.
3. Click the Continue button for the UAC prompt.
4. In regedit, go to: (See screenshot below)
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer
NOTE: If you do not have Explorer, then right click on Polices and click New -> Key, then type Explorer and press Enter.

Reg1.jpg

5. To Enable Clear Recent Items History on Exit -
A) In the right pane, right click on a empty area and click New -> DWORD (32-bit) Value. (See screenshot above)
B) Type ClearRecentDocsOnExit and press Enter.
C) Right click on ClearRecentDocsOnExit and click Modify. (See screenshot below)

Reg2.jpg

D) Type 1 and click OK. (See screenshot below)

Modify.jpg

E) The registry will now look like this. (See screenshot below)

Reg3.jpg

F) Go to step 7.

6. To Add Log Off to the Ctrl+Alt+Del Screen -
A) In the right pane, right click on ClearRecentDocsOnExit and click Delete. (See screenshot above)
B) Click Yes to confirm deletion.

7. Close regedit.


That's it,
Shawn