Windows Explorer keeps track of which files and folders you have opened. That makes it easier today to continue working on the files you were working on yesterday. If you do not like this for privacy reasons, you can restrict this behaviour. Clearing your Explorer history works like this.
Folder options
As often in Windows there are multiple ways to remove references to recent files and folders from Explorer. The first method uses the built-in options in File Explorer. Open File Explorer with the keyboard shortcut Win+E. In the file window, choose the View tab and there you will find the button at the top right Options. That way you open Folder options where you put the tab General used.
The Folder options are meant to customize how File Explorer works. In the section Privacy click the button To clear to delete the entire Windows Explorer history. You don’t get a confirmation dialog or anything like that; the entire history is immediately cleared.
If you want to prevent Explorer from tracking recent files and folders from now on, uncheck the box View recently used files in Quick access and View recently used folders in Quick access. Click on the buttons To apply and OK to save the changes.
Windows Settings
Alternatively, you can also use the Windows Settings to use, press Win+I. There you go to the section Personal settings. In the left column, select the item Startso that you can turn off the following option on the right: Show recently opened items in Jumplists on Start or on the taskbar and in File Explorer quick access.
Via the address box
If you usually want to use Explorer’s history and only delete this list when you’ve worked on sensitive files, for example, there is a slightly simpler way.
Open File Explorer and in the File Explorer window, right-click an empty space anywhere in the address box. That’s the box at the top that tells you where you are in Windows Explorer. In the contextual menu, choose the command Delete history.
