Do not keep history of recently opened documents
Verified with Windows 11 25H2 — updated on July 10, 2026
Supported on: At least Windows 2000
Path in the GPO console
Computer Configuration\Administrative Templates\Start Menu and Taskbar User Configuration\Administrative Templates\Start Menu and Taskbar Description
Prevents the operating system and installed programs from creating and displaying shortcuts to recently opened documents. If you enable this setting, the system and Windows programs do not create shortcuts to documents opened while the setting is in effect. Also, they retain but do not display existing document shortcuts. The system empties the Recent Items menu on the Start menu, and Windows programs do not display shortcuts at the bottom of the File menu. In addition, the Jump Lists off of programs in the Start Menu and Taskbar do not show lists of recently or frequently used files, folders, or websites. If you disable or do not configure this setting, the system will store and display shortcuts to recently and frequently used files, folders, and websites. Note: The system saves document shortcuts in the user profile in the System-drive\Users\User-name\Recent folder. Also, see the "Remove Recent Items menu from Start Menu" and "Clear history of recently opened documents on exit" policies in this folder. If you enable this setting but do not enable the "Remove Recent Items menu from Start Menu" setting, the Recent Items menu appears on the Start menu, but it is empty. If you enable this setting, but then later disable it or set it to Not Configured, the document shortcuts saved before the setting was enabled reappear in the Recent Items menu and program File menus, and Jump Lists. This setting does not hide or prevent the user from pinning files, folders, or websites to the Jump Lists. See the "Do not allow pinning items in Jump Lists" setting. This policy also does not hide Tasks that the application has provided for their Jump List. This setting does not hide document shortcuts displayed in the Open dialog box. See the "Hide the dropdown list of recent files" setting. Note: It is a requirement for third-party applications with Windows 2000 or later certification to adhere to this setting.
Registry
Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer Value name: NoRecentDocsHistory
Export Builder
BETAConfigure the state, scope and options, then generate .reg, PowerShell, Intune and SCCM outputs — or add the setting to a multi-setting collection.
These exports write the registry — this is not a managed GPO. ⓘ
Applying both scopes creates an ambiguous configuration (computer takes precedence over user). Only do this intentionally.
.reg file
Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00
; Exported from gporais.com
; Policy: Do not keep history of recently opened documents
; State: Enabled
; Scope: Computer (HKLM)
; Supported on: At least Windows 2000
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer]
"NoRecentDocsHistory"=dword:00000001More formats (PowerShell, Intune, SCCM)
PowerShell
# Exported from gporais.com
# Policy: Do not keep history of recently opened documents
# State: Enabled
# Scope: Computer (HKLM)
# Supported on: At least Windows 2000
$path = 'HKLM:\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer'
New-Item -Path $path -Force | Out-Null
Set-ItemProperty -Path $path -Name 'NoRecentDocsHistory' -Value 1 -Type DWordIntune XML
No direct Policy CSP / OMA-URI mapping for this policy. Use the Intune Remediation tab, or ingest the ADMX in Intune.Intune Remediation
# === Detection script ===
# Exported from gporais.com
# Policy: Do not keep history of recently opened documents
# State: Enabled
# Scope: Computer (HKLM)
# Supported on: At least Windows 2000
function Test-RegistryValue {
param(
[Parameter(Mandatory = $true)][string]$Path,
[Parameter(Mandatory = $true)][string]$Name,
[object]$Expected,
[ValidateSet('String', 'DWord', 'MultiString')][string]$Kind = 'String',
[switch]$Absent
)
try {
$item = Get-ItemProperty -LiteralPath $Path -Name $Name -ErrorAction Stop
} catch {
return $Absent.IsPresent
}
if ($Absent.IsPresent) { return $false }
$actual = $item.$Name
if ($Kind -eq 'DWord') { return ([int64]$actual) -eq ([int64]$Expected) }
if ($Kind -eq 'MultiString') {
$actualValues = @($actual)
$expectedValues = @($Expected)
if ($actualValues.Count -ne $expectedValues.Count) { return $false }
for ($i = 0; $i -lt $expectedValues.Count; $i++) {
if ([string]$actualValues[$i] -ne [string]$expectedValues[$i]) { return $false }
}
return $true
}
return [string]$actual -eq [string]$Expected
}
$checks = @(
(Test-RegistryValue -Path 'HKLM:\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer' -Name 'NoRecentDocsHistory' -Expected 1 -Kind DWord)
)
if ($checks -notcontains $false) {
Write-Output 'Compliant'
exit 0
}
Write-Output 'Non-compliant'
exit 1
# === Remediation script ===
# Exported from gporais.com
# Policy: Do not keep history of recently opened documents
# State: Enabled
# Scope: Computer (HKLM)
# Supported on: At least Windows 2000
$path = 'HKLM:\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer'
New-Item -Path $path -Force | Out-Null
Set-ItemProperty -Path $path -Name 'NoRecentDocsHistory' -Value 1 -Type DWordSCCM scripts
# Exported from gporais.com
# Policy: Do not keep history of recently opened documents
# State: Enabled
# Scope: Computer (HKLM)
# Supported on: At least Windows 2000
# SCCM Configuration Item guidance:
# Create a Configuration Item of type "Setting: Script".
# Discovery script: use the Detection script below.
# Remediation script: use the Remediation script below.
# Compliance rule: the Discovery script output equals 'Compliant'.
# === Detection script ===
# Exported from gporais.com
# Policy: Do not keep history of recently opened documents
# State: Enabled
# Scope: Computer (HKLM)
# Supported on: At least Windows 2000
function Test-RegistryValue {
param(
[Parameter(Mandatory = $true)][string]$Path,
[Parameter(Mandatory = $true)][string]$Name,
[object]$Expected,
[ValidateSet('String', 'DWord', 'MultiString')][string]$Kind = 'String',
[switch]$Absent
)
try {
$item = Get-ItemProperty -LiteralPath $Path -Name $Name -ErrorAction Stop
} catch {
return $Absent.IsPresent
}
if ($Absent.IsPresent) { return $false }
$actual = $item.$Name
if ($Kind -eq 'DWord') { return ([int64]$actual) -eq ([int64]$Expected) }
if ($Kind -eq 'MultiString') {
$actualValues = @($actual)
$expectedValues = @($Expected)
if ($actualValues.Count -ne $expectedValues.Count) { return $false }
for ($i = 0; $i -lt $expectedValues.Count; $i++) {
if ([string]$actualValues[$i] -ne [string]$expectedValues[$i]) { return $false }
}
return $true
}
return [string]$actual -eq [string]$Expected
}
$checks = @(
(Test-RegistryValue -Path 'HKLM:\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer' -Name 'NoRecentDocsHistory' -Expected 1 -Kind DWord)
)
if ($checks -notcontains $false) {
Write-Output 'Compliant'
exit 0
}
Write-Output 'Non-compliant'
exit 1
# === Remediation script ===
# Exported from gporais.com
# Policy: Do not keep history of recently opened documents
# State: Enabled
# Scope: Computer (HKLM)
# Supported on: At least Windows 2000
$path = 'HKLM:\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer'
New-Item -Path $path -Force | Out-Null
Set-ItemProperty -Path $path -Name 'NoRecentDocsHistory' -Value 1 -Type DWordBuilding a multi-setting collection? Add this setting and generate combined .reg / PowerShell / GPO scripts.