How to Delete Run History in Windows

Method 1 of 2:

Windows 10

  1. How to Delete Run History in Windows Picture 1
    Open the Start menu. Click the Start button (Windows logo) at the bottom-left corner of your screen or press the Win keyboard key.
  2. How to Delete Run History in Windows Picture 2
    Search for regedit in the search box. This will bring up the Registry Editor app in the results.
  3. How to Delete Run History in Windows Picture 3
    Click "regedit". It's a collection of blue blocks icon.
  4. How to Delete Run History in Windows Picture 4
    Click Yes when prompted. Doing so will provide administrator permission to open the Registry Editor.
  5. How to Delete Run History in Windows Picture 5
    Navigate to the "RunMRU" folder. Each folder in the registry is arranged in alphabetical order. To navigate to "RunMRU":
    1. Expand the HKEY_CURRENT_USER folder by clicking
      How to Delete Run History in Windows Picture 6
      to the left of it. This folder and each subsequent folder are in the left-hand sidebar.
    2. Expand the Software folder.
    3. Expand the Microsoft folder.
    4. Scroll down and expand the Windows folder.
    5. Expand the CurrentVersion folder.
    6. Expand the Explorer folder.
  6. How to Delete Run History in Windows Picture 7
    Click the "RunMRU" folder. Its contents will appear in the right-hand pane of the Registry Editor window.
  7. How to Delete Run History in Windows Picture 8
    Highlight everything in the "RunMRU" folder except "Default". Simply click and drag your mouse up the left side of the main Registry Editor window to highlight these items.
    1. You should be able to see the Run history item names in the "Data" column.
  8. How to Delete Run History in Windows Picture 9
    Right-click a highlighted entry, then click Delete. You'll see Delete at the bottom of the drop-down menu; clicking it invokes a pop-up window.
    1. If you're using a laptop with a trackpad, use two fingers to click instead of right-clicking.
  9. How to Delete Run History in Windows Picture 10
    Click Yes. Doing so will clear your Run history.
    1. You will likely see an error window appear that says "Unable to clear all Registry items"; regardless of this message, your Run history will be clear the next time you check it.
Method 2 of 2:

Windows 7 and 8

  1. How to Delete Run History in Windows Picture 11
    Right-click the taskbar. This bar is at the bottom of the screen, though you may need to hover your mouse at the bottom of the screen in order to display it.
    1. On a laptop that has a trackpad and no mouse buttons, use two fingers to click instead of right-clicking.
  2. How to Delete Run History in Windows Picture 12
    Click Properties. It's at the bottom of the right-click drop-down menu.
  3. How to Delete Run History in Windows Picture 13
    Click Start Menu. This tab is at the top of the Properties window.
    1. On Windows 8, click the Jump Lists tab instead.
  4. How to Delete Run History in Windows Picture 14
    Uncheck the "Store recently opened programs" box. To do so, click the checkbox to the left of the "Store recently opened programs" line of text. You should see the checkmark there disappear.
  5. How to Delete Run History in Windows Picture 15
    Click Apply. It's at the bottom of the window.
  6. How to Delete Run History in Windows Picture 16
    Re-check the "Store recently opened programs" box. Simply click the checkbox again to re-check it. Your Run history should now be empty.
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