It may happen that you start programs that you do not want to be accessible to others, both for privacy reasons and for security reasons, especially when you use a computer shared by others. In this article you will read how to clear the execution history in Windows.
Steps
Method 1 of 3: Windows 7
Step 1. Click the Start button and select Control Panel
Step 2. Click Appearance and Personalization
Step 3. Click Taskbar and Start Menu
Step 4. Click the Start Menu tab
Under Privacy clears the Archive and, in the Start menu checkbox, shows a list of recently opened programs.
Step 5. Click OK
Method 2 of 3: Windows Vista
Step 1. Right-click on the Taskbar at the bottom of the screen and select Properties
Step 2. Select the Start Menu tab
Step 3. Click the Customize button
Step 4. Press the Advanced Settings tab
Step 5. Press the Clear List button
Method 3 of 3: Windows XP
Step 1. Right click on the Taskbar on the bottom screen
Select Properties.
Step 2. Click the Start Menu tab
It is located at the top of the Properties window.
Step 3. Click the Customize button
Step 4. Click the Clear List button in the right half of the Start Menu Personalization window
Advice
- You can access 'Start' by pressing Windows Logo key + R..
- If you want your Execution History to be cleared automatically every time you turn on your computer, go to the following place in the Registry Editor: HKEY_CURRENT_USER → Software → Microsoft → Windows → CurrentVersion → Policies → Explorer. In the panel on the right look for ClearRecentDocsOnExit, double click and type its value as 1 and make sure Hex is selected. Then click OK and close the Registry Editor.
- Create a Restore Point, in case something goes wrong.