How To Prevent Documents From Getting Added To Recent Documents List

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WARNING: The results of this tweak are not very reliable and can be variable in Microsoft Windows Vista and Windows 7.

The Windows operating system tries to make it hard for users to hide or display various options, features and looks. However, it fails miserably at doing so. The Windows Registry holds the key to modifying, disabling or enabling absolutely all aspects of the operating system. In other words, system administrators can place restrictions on all aspects of a user’s experience using the Windows Registry. The easiest way to impose restrictions on a user’s activities is by following the steps below:

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Step-1 Open the regedit.exe file.

Step-2 Search for the following registry key:

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Sofrware\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer

Under the Explorer key, in the right panel create a new DWORD value called NoRecentDocsHistory and changes its data value of 1 removes the list from the Start menu, while a data value of 0 enables the list.

ClearRecentDocsOnExit: Talking the above registry tweak a bit further, it is also possible to automatically clear the Recent Documents List each time Windows exists. The ClearRecentDocsOnExit DWORD value of 1 enables this feature, while a value of o to disable it.

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