Efficiently Clear Recent Files from Microsoft Word- A Step-by-Step Guide

by liuqiyue

How to Remove Recent Files in Word

Microsoft Word is a widely-used word processing application that allows users to create, edit, and manage documents. One of the features of Word is the ability to save recent files, which can be convenient for quick access to documents you’ve worked on. However, there may be instances where you want to remove these recent files from the list for privacy or organization purposes. In this article, we will guide you through the steps on how to remove recent files in Word.

Step 1: Open Microsoft Word

First, launch Microsoft Word on your computer. If you have multiple versions of Word installed, make sure you open the correct one.

Step 2: Access the Recent Files List

Once Word is open, you will see a list of recent files on the left-hand side of the application window. This list displays the names of the documents you have recently opened or edited.

Step 3: Right-click on a Recent File

Locate the recent file you want to remove from the list and right-click on it. A context menu will appear with various options.

Step 4: Select ‘Remove from this list’

In the context menu, select the option ‘Remove from this list.’ This action will remove the selected file from the recent files list.

Step 5: Remove Multiple Recent Files

If you want to remove multiple recent files at once, you can follow the same steps for each file. Alternatively, you can select all the files you want to remove by holding down the ‘Ctrl’ key and clicking on each file. Then, right-click on any of the selected files and choose ‘Remove from this list’ to remove them all at once.

Step 6: Clear All Recent Files

If you want to clear the entire list of recent files, you can go to the ‘File’ menu at the top left corner of the Word window. Click on ‘Options’ and then navigate to the ‘Advanced’ tab. Scroll down to the ‘Display’ section and uncheck the ‘Show recent files in File Explorer’ option. Click ‘OK’ to save the changes. This will clear the recent files list in Word.

Conclusion

Removing recent files in Word is a simple process that can help you maintain privacy and organization. By following the steps outlined in this article, you can easily remove individual files or clear the entire list of recent files. Remember to save your work before making any changes to ensure you don’t lose any important documents.

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