How to Enable or Disable Clear Recent Document Items 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