6 Ways to Delete the History Off the Computer

Your computer keeps records of the websites you visit, the files you open and the programs you run. These histories make it easier to access frequently used software and information; however, they can also pose a privacy risk. To protect your personal information, clear your Internet and operating system histories.

Browser History

·         Your Internet browser stores a record of all the websites that you visit. To clear the Internet Explorer history, open the "Tools" menu and click "Internet Options." Click the "Delete" button in the Browsing History section. For Firefox, press "Ctrl," "Shift" and "H" simultaneously, then select "Everything" from the drop-down menu and click the "Clear Now" button. If you're using Google Chrome, click the wrench icon, then click "History." Click "Edit Items," then "Clear all browsing data."

Programs and Items

·         By default, Windows stores a list of all the programs that you've recently opened in the Start menu. When you hover the mouse over a program, a list of all the documents you've recently opened with the program pops up. To delete this history from Windows, open the "Control Panel," click "Appearance and Personalization," then click "Customize the Start Menu." Click the "Start Menu" tab, then un-check both boxes in the "Privacy" section. Click "OK" to delete the program and item history.

Windows Explorer Search History

·         Windows stores a list of all the search terms that you've entered into the search bar in the upper right corner of the Windows Explorer window. You can delete this search history using the registry editor. Type "regedit" into the Start menu's Seach box and press "Enter." Double-click "HKEY_CURRENT_USER," then navigate to "Software\Microsoft\Windows." Double-click "CurrentVersion," then "Explorer." Right-click "WordWheelQuery" and select "Delete." Click "Yes."

Windows Explorer Address Bar History

·         Windows Explorer also stores a list of all the directories you've accessed in its address bar. To remove this history file, press "Ctrl" and "E" simultaneously to open Windows Explorer, then right-click inside the address bar. Select "Delete History" to remove the records of the directories you've accessed.

Wordpad and Paint

·         The built-in Wordpad word processor stores a list of recently opened documents in its File menu. Remove this history using the Registry Editor. Launch "regedit" from the Start menu, then navigate to "HKEY_CURRENT_USERS\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersio

n\Applets\Wordpad." Expand the WordPad section, right-click "Recent File List," select "Delete" and press "Enter. You can use the same procedure to clear the history from Paint.

Windows Media Player

·         Windows Media Player keeps track of all the media items that you play in the program. To delete this history, click the "Organize" button in Windows Media Player, then click "Options." Click the "Privacy" tab, then the "Clear History" button. If you don't want Windows Media player to store the history any more, un-check all of the boxes in the History section.