Clear Recent Documents XP - Clean Up Your Start Menu
May 28, 2007
Clearing Recent Documents from the Windows XP Start Menu
While the reasoning behind wanting to remove recently used documents from your Windows XP start menu isn't necessarily important, the process itself is quite straightforward. This guide will detail the steps involved.
Accessing Start Menu Properties
Begin by right-clicking on the Start Menu icon. From the context menu that appears, select Properties.
Within the Properties window, navigate to the Start Menu tab. Then, click the Customize button.
Advanced Customization Options
The Customize Start Menu window will now be displayed. Select the Advanced tab to access further options.
Two Methods for Managing Recent Documents
You are presented with two distinct methods for managing the display of recent documents:
- Clear the List: Clicking the Clear List button will simply remove the current entries from the recent documents list.
- Disable the Feature: To completely disable the feature, uncheck the box labeled "List my most recently opened documents".
Choosing the latter option will prevent Windows XP from tracking and displaying recently opened files in the Start Menu in the future.