Reset and Clear Recent Items and Frequent Places in Windows 10  

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    Reset and Clear Recent Items and Frequent Places in Windows 10

    Reset and Clear Recent Items and Frequent Places in Windows 10

    How to Reset and Clear Recent Items and Frequent Places in Windows 10
    Published by Category: Customization
    17 Feb 2024
    Designer Media Ltd

    How to Reset and Clear Recent Items and Frequent Places in Windows 10


    Recent items is a list of the files that you have used or opened recently. These items are displayed as "Recent files" in Quick access, and under "Recent" in jump lists on the Start menu and taskbar.

    Frequent places is a list of folders, websites, etc... that you have opened recently. These items are displayed as "Frequent folders" in Quick access, "Frequent places" under File in File Explorer, and under "Frequent" in jump lists on the Start menu and taskbar.

    When you reset and clear recent items and frequent places, it will clear all non default items including any locations you pinned to jump lists and pinned to quick access.

    Your recent items and frequent places are stored in the folder locations below. These are the locations that get cleared when you reset.

    • %APPDATA%\Microsoft\Windows\Recent Items
    • %APPDATA%\Microsoft\Windows\Recent\AutomaticDestinations
    • %APPDATA%\Microsoft\Windows\Recent\CustomDestinations

    This tutorial will show you how to completely reset and clear all recent items and frequent places in File Explorer, Quick access, jump lists, Start menu, and taskbar for your account in Windows 10.


    Contents

    • Option One: Reset and Clear "Recent Items" and "Frequent Places" using a BAT file
    • Option Two: Reset and Clear "Recent Items" and "Frequent Places" in Settings app
    • Option Three: Reset and Clear "Recent Items" and "Frequent Places" in File Explorer Options



    EXAMPLE: Where you will see Recent Items and Frequent Places

    (Jump Lists in Start menu)
    Reset and Clear Recent Items and Frequent Places in Windows 10-start_menu_jump_lists.png

    (Jump Lists on taskbar)
    Reset and Clear Recent Items and Frequent Places in Windows 10-ie_jump_list.png Reset and Clear Recent Items and Frequent Places in Windows 10-file_explorer_jump_list.png

    (Quick access)
    Reset and Clear Recent Items and Frequent Places in Windows 10-quick_access.png

    (File menu in File Explorer)
    Reset and Clear Recent Items and Frequent Places in Windows 10-frequent_places.png






    OPTION ONE

    Reset and Clear "Recent Items" and "Frequent Places" using a BAT file


    1 Click/tap on the Download button below to download the .bat file below.

    Reset_and_Clear_Recent_Items.bat


    Download

    (Contents of BAT file for reference:)
    Code:
    del /F /Q %APPDATA%\Microsoft\Windows\Recent\*
    
    del /F /Q %APPDATA%\Microsoft\Windows\Recent\AutomaticDestinations\*
    
    del /F /Q %APPDATA%\Microsoft\Windows\Recent\CustomDestinations\*
    
    taskkill /f /im explorer.exe
    
    start explorer.exe

    2 Save the .bat file to your desktop.

    3 Unblock the .bat file.

    4 Double click/tap on the .bat file to run it.

    5 You will now notice a command prompt quickly open and close, and then your desktop quickly flash as explorer is restarted.






    OPTION TWO

    Reset and Clear "Recent Items" and "Frequent Places" in Settings app


    1 Toggle to turn off and on recent items and frequent places.

    For how, see: How to Turn On or Off 'Recent Items' and 'Frequent Places' in Windows 10

    Reset and Clear Recent Items and Frequent Places in Windows 10-recent_items_settings.jpg






    OPTION THREE

    Reset and Clear "Recent Items" and "Frequent Places" in File Explorer Options


    Clearing File Explorer history deletes the info Windows saved about the files and folders you use as well as what you've typed in the address bar.

    If you clear your history, the Recent files section will disappear from Quick access until you open a file, and all Frequent folders will disappear from Quick access except those you pinned until you open a folder.



    That's it,
    Shawn Brink






  1. Posts : 2
    Windows 10 Home Single Language (x64) Version 1709 (build 16299.309)
       #1

    Thanks a lot for the bat file fix that sorted this many year problem out!!
      My Computer


  2. Posts : 68,672
    64-bit Windows 11 Pro for Workstations
    Thread Starter
       #2

    You're most welcome altros, and welcome to Ten Forums. :)
      My Computers


  3. Posts : 2
    Windows 10 Home Single Language (x64) Version 1709 (build 16299.309)
       #3

    It also fixed my W10 search feature which has never worked before so thx for that too. My hate of W10 has reduced substantialy!
      My Computer


  4. Posts : 68,672
    64-bit Windows 11 Pro for Workstations
    Thread Starter
       #4

    Be sure to post about any other issues you may be having with Windows 10 in the forum. Hopefully, we be able to help. :)
      My Computers


  5. Posts : 2,450
    Windows 10 Pro x64
       #5

    Thanks a lot, for one more great tutorial, Shawn.

    I used the .bat file for a while, but I was not happy with the Quick Access behavior, as it was clearing all frequent folders, including the ones I had pinned, as I use them regularly (my scripts folder, being an example).
    So I put some time, to find how to do it and came up with an alternative to your batch file, in PowerShell.
    The following script, does exactly what your batch file does, with the addition that it doesn't clear the "f01b4d95cf55d32a.automaticDestinations-ms", to preserve the Quick Access folders. Unfortunately that keeps besides the pinned ones, the unpinned folders too. So the script then clears all unpinned (not needed) folders from Quick Access.

    As always, you or any other member of TenForums can modify and use it, according to his/her needs.

    Code:
    Write-Host "`nClearing . . . " -NoNewline
    
    Get-ChildItem $env:APPDATA\Microsoft\Windows\Recent\* -File -Force -Exclude desktop.ini | 
    Remove-Item -Force -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue
    Get-ChildItem $env:APPDATA\Microsoft\Windows\Recent\AutomaticDestinations\* -File -Force -Exclude desktop.ini, f01b4d95cf55d32a.automaticDestinations-ms | 
    Remove-Item -Force -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue
    Get-ChildItem $env:APPDATA\Microsoft\Windows\Recent\CustomDestinations\* -File -Force -Exclude desktop.ini | 
    Remove-Item -Force -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue
    
    # Clear unpinned folders from Quick Access, using the Verbs() method
    $UnpinnedQAFolders = (0,0)
    While ($UnpinnedQAFolders) {
        $UnpinnedQAFolders = (((New-Object -ComObject Shell.Application).Namespace("shell:::{679f85cb-0220-4080-b29b-5540cc05aab6}").Items() | 
        where IsFolder -eq $true).Verbs() | where Name -match "Remove from Quick access")
        If ($UnpinnedQAFolders) { $UnpinnedQAFolders.DoIt() }
    }
    
    Write-Host "Done!`n"
    Stop-Process -Name explorer -Force
    
    Remove-Variable UnpinnedQAFolders

    Updated script, to cleanup older unpinned folders in Quick Access
    Last edited by ddelo; 29 Mar 2019 at 16:52. Reason: Updated script, to clear older unpinned folders
      My Computer


  6. Posts : 632
    Linux Lite
       #6

    Does bat file work in Win10 1809?
      My Computers


  7. Posts : 68,672
    64-bit Windows 11 Pro for Workstations
    Thread Starter
       #7

    btv7 said:
    Does bat file work in Win10 1809?
    It does.
      My Computers


  8. Posts : 632
    Linux Lite
       #8

    Oh ok cool thank you Brink
      My Computers


  9. Posts : 27
    Windows 10
       #9

    I have a Windows 10 Pro version1909. I can't find these locations on my system:
    %AppData%\Microsoft\Windows\Recent\AutomaticDestinations
    %AppData%\Microsoft\Windows\Recent\CustomDestinations
    or
    %AppData%\Microsoft\Windows\Recent
      My Computer


 

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