Efficiently Remove Recently Opened Files from Office 365- A Step-by-Step Guide

How to Delete the Recently Opened from Office 365

Are you tired of seeing a cluttered list of recently opened files in your Office 365 applications? Whether it’s due to privacy concerns or simply wanting to declutter your workspace, deleting the recently opened files can be a helpful step. In this article, we will guide you through the process of how to delete the recently opened files from Office 365.

Understanding the Recently Opened Files

The “Recently Opened” feature in Office 365 is designed to help users quickly access their most frequently used documents. However, this feature can become intrusive if you prefer to keep your file history private or if you want to remove distracting elements from your application interface. Before we proceed with the deletion process, it’s important to understand how the “Recently Opened” feature works.

When you open a file in Office 365, the application saves a reference to that file in the “Recently Opened” list. This list is stored locally on your device and is not shared with other users. The list typically includes the file name, the application used to open it, and the date and time of the last access.

How to Delete the Recently Opened Files from Office 365

Now that you have a basic understanding of the “Recently Opened” feature, let’s dive into the steps to delete the recently opened files from Office 365.

1. Open the desired Office 365 application (e.g., Word, Excel, PowerPoint).
2. Click on the “File” tab located in the upper-left corner of the application window.
3. In the File menu, select “Options” to open the Office 365 Options dialog box.
4. In the Options dialog box, click on “Advanced” from the left-hand menu.
5. Scroll down to the “General” section and locate the “Recently Used Files” option.
6. Uncheck the “Show recently used files in Quick Access Toolbar” and “Show recently used files in Start screen” options.
7. Click “OK” to save your changes and close the Options dialog box.

By following these steps, you will have successfully removed the “Recently Opened” feature from your Office 365 application. However, if you still want to delete individual entries from the list, you can do so by following these additional steps:

1. Open the desired Office 365 application (e.g., Word, Excel, PowerPoint).
2. Click on the “File” tab and then select “Options” to open the Office 365 Options dialog box.
3. In the Options dialog box, click on “Advanced” from the left-hand menu.
4. Scroll down to the “General” section and click on “Clear All” under the “Recently Used Files” option.
5. Click “OK” to confirm the deletion and close the Options dialog box.

Conclusion

Deleting the recently opened files from Office 365 is a straightforward process that can help you maintain a clean and organized workspace. By following the steps outlined in this article, you can easily disable the “Recently Opened” feature or remove individual entries from the list. Remember that these changes will only affect the application on your device and will not impact other users or shared files.