How to Clear Recent Pictures History in Paint (mspaint) app in Windows 10


Microsoft Paint (formerly Paintbrush) is a simple raster graphics editor that has been included with all versions of Microsoft Windows. The program opens and saves files in Windows bitmap (BMP), JPEG, GIF, PNG, and single-page TIFF formats. The program can be in color mode or two-color black-and-white, but there is no grayscale mode.

Whenever you open or save an image file in Paint (mspaint.exe), the image is added to the File > Recent pictures history list in Paint for quick reference and access.

This tutorial will show you how to clear all or specific files from the recent pictures history list in the Paint (mspaint.exe) app for your account in Windows 7, Windows 8, and Windows 10.

Contents

  • Option One: Clear Specific Recent Pictures in Paint (mspaint) app using Registry Editor
  • Option Two: Clear All Recent Pictures in Paint (mspaint) app using REG file
  • Option Three: Clear All Recent Pictures in Paint (mspaint) app using BAT file



EXAMPLE: Recent pictures in Paint
How to Clear Recent Pictures in Paint (mspaint) app in Windows 10-paint_recent_pictures.png






OPTION ONE

Clear Specific Recent Pictures in Paint (mspaint) app using Registry Editor


1 Close Paint (mspaint.exe) if currently open.

2 Press the Win + R keys to open Run, type regedit into Run, and click/tap on OK to open Registry Editor.

3 Navigate to the key below in the left pane of Registry Editor. (see screenshot below)

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Applets\Paint\Recent File List

How to Clear Recent Pictures in Paint (mspaint) app in Windows 10-paint_recent_pictures_regedit-1.png

4 In the right pane of the Recent File List key, look for a listed File# string value that has the recent picture file path you want to delete. When found, right click or press and hold on the File# (ex: File1), and click/tap on Delete. (see screenshot above)

5 Click/tap on Yes to confirm delete. (see screenshot below)

How to Clear Recent Pictures in Paint (mspaint) app in Windows 10-paint_recent_pictures_regedit-2.png

6 Repeat step 4 and step 5 for any other recent pictures you wanted to clear from Paint.

7 When finished, you can close Registry Editor if you like.






OPTION TWO

Clear All Recent Pictures in Paint (mspaint) app using REG file


1 Close Paint (mspaint.exe) if currently open.

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

Clear_all_Recent_Pictures_in_Paint.reg

Download

Contents of .reg file for reference.

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00
[-HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Applets\Paint\Recent File List]


3 Save the .reg file to your desktop.

4 Double click/tap on the downloaded .reg file to merge it.

5 When prompted, click/tap on Run, Yes (UAC), Yes, and OK to approve the merge.

6 You can now delete the downloaded .reg file if you like.






OPTION THREE

Clear All Recent Pictures in Paint (mspaint) app using BAT file


1 Close Paint (mspaint.exe) if currently open.

2 Click/tap on the download button below to download the file below.

Clear_all_Recent_Pictures_in_Paint.bat

Download

Contents of .bat file for reference.

Reg Delete "HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Applets\Paint\Recent File List" /F


3 Save the .bat file to your desktop.

4 Unblock the .bat file.

5 Run the .bat file.

6 You can now delete the .bat file if you like.


That's it,
Shawn


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