How to Clear Recent Items on Mac
Are you looking to clear recent items on your Mac to free up space or simply to keep your desktop organized? Whether you’re using macOS Mojave, Catalina, Big Sur, or the latest version of macOS, clearing recent items is a straightforward process. In this article, we’ll guide you through the steps to clear recent items on your Mac, ensuring that your computer runs smoothly and efficiently.
Step 1: Access the Recent Items Menu
The first step to clear recent items on your Mac is to access the Recent Items menu. This menu displays a list of recently opened documents, applications, and other items. To access it, follow these steps:
1. Click on the Apple menu in the top-left corner of your screen.
2. Select “Recent Items” from the dropdown menu.
Step 2: Clear Recent Items
Once you have accessed the Recent Items menu, you can clear the list of recent items. Here’s how:
1. In the Recent Items menu, click on the “Clear” button located at the bottom of the list.
2. A confirmation dialog will appear. Click “Clear” to confirm and remove the recent items from the list.
Step 3: Clear Recent Items from Specific Applications
If you want to clear recent items from a specific application, follow these steps:
1. Open the application whose recent items you want to clear.
2. Look for a “Recent Items” or “Open” menu in the application’s menu bar.
3. Click on the menu, and you will see a list of recently opened documents or files.
4. Select the item you want to remove and press the “Delete” key on your keyboard.
Step 4: Clear Recent Items from the Dock
The Dock on your Mac also displays recent items for certain applications. To clear these items, follow these steps:
1. Right-click on the application icon in the Dock.
2. Select “Remove from Dock” from the dropdown menu.
This will remove the application from the Dock, along with any recent items it may have displayed.
Step 5: Clear Recent Items from the Finder
If you want to clear recent items from the Finder, you can do so by following these steps:
1. Open the Finder by clicking on the Finder icon in the Dock or pressing Command + Space and typing “Finder” in the Spotlight search bar.
2. Go to the “Finder” menu at the top of the screen.
3. Select “Preferences” from the dropdown menu.
4. In the Preferences window, click on the “General” tab.
5. Under the “Recent Items” section, uncheck the boxes next to the items you want to remove.
6. Click “OK” to save your changes.
By following these steps, you can clear recent items on your Mac, keeping your computer clutter-free and running at its best.
