Efficiently Erase Recent Files- A Step-by-Step Guide to Deleting Files in Your File Explorer

How to Delete Recent Files in File Explorer

In today’s digital age, managing files on your computer is an essential skill. One common task that users often encounter is deleting recent files in the file explorer. Whether you want to free up space or remove sensitive information, knowing how to delete recent files efficiently is crucial. This article will guide you through the process of deleting recent files in file explorer on both Windows and macOS operating systems.

Deleting Recent Files on Windows

On Windows, the file explorer provides a convenient way to delete recent files. Here’s how you can do it:

1. Open the File Explorer by clicking on the folder icon on the taskbar or pressing the Windows key + E.
2. In the File Explorer window, click on the “View” tab at the top.
3. In the “Layout” group, click on the “Options” button.
4. In the “View” tab of the Folder Options window, check the box for “Show recently used files in the Quick Access view.”
5. Click “OK” to save the changes.
6. Go to the “Quick Access” section on the left side of the File Explorer window.
7. Right-click on the recent file you want to delete and select “Delete.”
8. Confirm the deletion by clicking “Yes” in the confirmation dialog box.

Deleting Recent Files on macOS

On macOS, the file explorer is known as Finder. Here’s how you can delete recent files on macOS:

1. Open Finder by clicking on the Finder icon in the Dock or pressing Command + Space and typing “Finder.”
2. In the Finder window, click on the “Finder” menu at the top left corner of the screen.
3. Select “Preferences” from the dropdown menu.
4. In the Finder Preferences window, go to the “General” tab.
5. Under the “Sidebar” section, uncheck the box for “Recent Items.”
6. Click “OK” to save the changes.
7. Go to the “Recent Items” section on the left side of the Finder window.
8. Right-click on the recent file you want to delete and select “Move to Trash.”
9. Empty the Trash by right-clicking on the Trash icon in the Dock and selecting “Empty Trash.”

By following these simple steps, you can easily delete recent files in the file explorer on both Windows and macOS. Remember to exercise caution when deleting files, as deleted files can sometimes be recovered. Always double-check before deleting any important files.