How to clear recent document lists from Excel?
Every time an Excel file is opened, its entry is added to the Recent pane, creating a chronological list of accessed workbooks, as demonstrated in the screenshot below. While this feature offers convenience for quickly reopening frequently used files, over time the list can become cluttered with unnecessary or outdated entries. This can make it more difficult to locate important documents at a glance, reduce privacy on shared computers, or simply become visually overwhelming. There are circumstances where you may wish to clear your recent document history in Excel for organizational reasons or to maintain confidentiality. This article provides practical guidance on how to make these lists disappear, presenting several effective methods suitable for a variety of scenarios.
Clear the recent document lists with Options feature
Clear the recent document lists with Clear unpinned Workbooks function
Clear the recent document lists with VBA code
Clear the recent document lists with Options feature
A straightforward way to clear your Excel recent documents is through the Options feature. This method is suitable for users looking for a quick, built-in way to manage their recent file list across all supported Excel versions, including Excel 2007, 2010, 2013, and later. Adjusting this option not only removes the current list but also prevents recent files from being displayed until you decide otherwise.
1. Start by opening any workbook in Excel. Then, click File > Options. (If you're using Excel2007, click the Office button > Excel Options.) In the Excel Options dialog that appears, select Advanced from the left sidebar. Next, scroll down to the Display section. Find the option labeled Show this number of Recent Documents and set its value to 0. Refer to the screenshot for detailed navigation:
2. Once you've changed the number to 0, click OK to confirm the change and close the dialog. When you revisit the Recent pane, you'll notice that all entries of your recent document list have been instantly removed, as shown in the images below:
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This operation is entirely reversible: if you wish to restore the recent documents feature in the future, simply return to the same setting and enter your preferred number (such as 5, 10, or 50) in the Show this number of Recent Documents box. Excel will start tracking new recent files from then onward.
Tips and notes:
- Setting this parameter to 0 only hides and clears the recent list—it does not delete any physical files from your computer.
- If you're temporarily sharing your computer and want to hide recent files for privacy, remember to set the number back after use to restore the list functionality.
- Changing this setting affects the display for the current user profile only. Other users on the same machine retain their own recent file lists.
Clear the recent document lists with Clear unpinned Workbooks function
Another practical solution for removing entries from the recent documents list is to use the Clear unpinned Workbooks function. This option is particularly useful if you want to clear your work history but preserve certain important or frequently-used files by pinning them. Be aware that this method is available primarily in Excel 2010 and Excel 2013, and may not apply in other versions or in customized environments.
1. To begin, navigate to your recent document list. In Excel 2010, click File > Recent. For Excel 2013, select File > Open > Recent Workbooks. This displays all of your recently accessed files.
2. Right-click any entry in the Recent Workbooks list and select Clear unpinned Workbooks from the context menu, as demonstrated below:
3. A prompt will appear to confirm the action—this serves as a safeguard against accidental deletion. Click Yes to proceed. All recent workbooks that are not pinned will immediately be removed from the list, leaving only your pinned files remaining.
Notes and practical suggestions:
- This operation is irreversible for the unpinned files; you cannot restore them to the recent list afterward unless you reopen them manually.
- This method is only available in Excel 2010 and 2013. If you are using a different version such as Excel2016 or Excel for Office365, use the Options method or explore VBA solutions instead.
- Pinned files are not affected by this action. If you want to clear everything, including pinned files, you must unpin them before running the Clear unpinned Workbooks function.
- Pin important or frequently accessed workbooks before clearing the list to prevent accidental removal. Hover over any file entry and click the pin icon to keep it.
Clear the recent document lists with VBA code
For advanced users or those who need a one-click solution for clearing all recent file history—including in cases where manual options are limited—using a VBA macro provides an efficient and customizable alternative. This method is especially suitable in work environments with high privacy needs or when automating tasks across multiple workbooks.
1. To run the VBA code, press ALT + F11 on your keyboard to open the Microsoft Visual Basic for Applications window.
2. In the VBA editor, click Insert > Module. This will create a new module in your project. Then, paste the following code into the Module window:
VBA code: remove the recent document lists
Sub Clearrecentfiles()
'Update 20140925
On Error Resume Next
Do Until Err.Number <> 0
Application.RecentFiles.Item(1).Delete
Loop
End Sub
3. To execute the macro, place your cursor within the pasted code and press F5 or click the Run button in the VBA editor toolbar. Excel will automatically clear the entire recent document list immediately, regardless of whether files are pinned or not.
Important notes and troubleshooting:
- Once the VBA macro runs, the recent item list will be cleared with no way to undo. Make sure to run the code only when you’re certain you want to clear the entire history.
- If macros are disabled on your system, you’ll need to enable them by adjusting your macro security settings in Excel Options before running the code.
- This method works across most Windows versions of Excel; however, it may not be supported in Excel Online or some restricted enterprise environments.
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