How to Clear "recent" listing in new Acrobat X Pro

[JohnAdobe_1]

In new Acrobat X Pro, when I open this program a window appears listing "recent" files that I have previously opened.

I cannot clear this "recent" listing. I have deleted some of those files, and do not want them to appear in this window anymore.

I cannot find any option to clear this damn listing. Only option I found was to reduce this listing from the default 5 to 1. Zero is unavailable.

The crude way I found was to delete this registry listing:

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Adobe\Adobe Acrobat\10.0\AVGeneral\cRecentFiles

I cannot believe that Adobe will design and release a brand new version with such poor design.

If you do know how, maybe I am blind and cannot find this elusive option, please post it here so we all can learn.

But if I am really correct and there is no option, Adobe MUST fix this oversight ASAP.

Thank you for helping.

[Bernd Alheit]

Why want you clear the listing?

[JohnAdobe_1]

Because I have deleted some of those "recent" files and do not want them to appear in "recent" listing anymore.

A user must have the option to control their recent files listings.

Bottom line is this: when any of my recent files don't exist anymore I do not want them showing up.

So disappointed in Adobe, what a big mistake. They SHOULD have caught this bug while in beta testing.

[Dave Merchant]

IMO it's not a bug in the true sense - an option to clear that list was intentionally not included, though you'll have to ask the product team for the reasons behind that decision. Erasing the registry key is the only way to do it, and it's the method we all use when making product demos.

[JohnAdobe_1]

Thank you for your answer.

Then I kindly request from Adobe Acrobat's designers/programmers to please add the option to clear "recent" listings in their next update.

I really believe that this option should be standard on all and any software that displays "recent" files.

[Guest]

It's long winded but you could add it to a regedit "favorite" and so navigate quickly to it and delete entries as necessary....

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Adobe\Adobe Acrobat\10.0\AVGeneral\cRecentFiles]

[JohnAdobe_1]

We are thinking alike because that is exactly what I did when I first found that this crude trick was the only way so far as of today to clear the "recent" listings.

I hope Adobe will provide this option in their next update release.

[George_Johnson]

It's also a simple matter to create a .reg file that you can launch whenever you need to clear the files out. For example:

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[-HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Adobe\Adobe Acrobat\10.0\AVGeneral\cRecentFiles\c1]

[-HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Adobe\Adobe Acrobat\10.0\AVGeneral\cRecentFiles\c2]

[-HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Adobe\Adobe Acrobat\10.0\AVGeneral\cRecentFiles\c3]

[-HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Adobe\Adobe Acrobat\10.0\AVGeneral\cRecentFiles\c4]

; Repeat for as many entries as you like

[JohnAdobe_1]

George, you almost have it, as my method here is more efficient:

All you need to do is save the following 2 lines as ClearAcrobatRecent.REG

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[-HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Adobe\Adobe Acrobat\10.0\AVGeneral\cRecentFiles]

IMPORTANT:

Copy and paste the above 2 lines in Notepad, then save as "ClearAcrobatRecent.REG"

Note the - to the left of HKEY, which denotes "remove" from the Registry.

Then run this reg file whenever you need to clear your recent files that appear when you open Acrobat.

My method is easier and better because it does not rely on the number of "recent" files, as all will be cleared.

Of course, "cRecentFiles" entry will be deleted in the registry as well, but it will safely be recreated once you open a file in Acrobat.

Until Adobe adds this important and useful option in the next Acrobat X update this is the only practical way to clear "recent files".

Good luck and enjoy.

[JohnAdobe_1]

If any Acrobat expert has a better fix than the one I submitted above please post it here.

It will help all Acrobat X users.

Thank you.

[Dave Merchant]

If any Acrobat expert has a better fix than the one I submitted above please post it here.

There isn't one in the current version, as I said before it was intentional that the user interface doesn't contain that feature, though it may be considered in future releases.

To be precise it's not "your" fix. It's a method we've all been using for months.

[SteveAcrobat]

There isn't a way to remove the list, but you can make it so that it no longer shows particular files.

In Preferences, you can set how many recent files appear on the File menu.  The range is 1 through 10.  If you set that preference for 1, and then open up some random file more recently than the one(s) that you want to no longer appear in the list, then the problem is solved.

I assume that you want to stop displaying certain files in that list.  Although you can't deactivate the list entirely, you can get to the same result in the manner that I said.

If you are worried that some other user of the computer will see documents that you recently opened, I guess that is a risk even if you set the preference for 1 file, because someone could come along and change the preference to 10 and then see 9 more recent files.

But you can also avoid that situation by just opening 10 random files on the computer when you are leaving it.  Then those will populate the list even if someone sets the preference for 10.

One change in version X is that the list no longer has the history option of displaying files from today, from yesterday, from last week, etc.  I actually miss that feature, because I like to be able to search there rather than navigate through folders on my C drive.  But I am the only user of my computer, so I don't have to worry about someone else viewing what files I had opened recently.

[JohnAdobe_1]

Hi Steve,

Thanks for writing me regarding Adobe Acrobat X.

After researching and testing the different ways on how to clear "recent" files,

I wrote this simple registry file that when it is run it clears the complete

"recent" listings. It works great and I am proud of it.

I am attaching this file for you to use with my compliments.

Hopefully Adobe will add an option/feature to clear this listing in their next

update.

Happy New Year.

John

[CasualAcrobat]

Incredible that Acrobat calls this a "feature" ... no, it's a shame in my books.

Here is somebody who figured out a somewhat more "permanent" solution.  I did it with my Reader X and so far there are no obvious downsides whatsoever to this "cure" ...

Courtesy of this raba1der who helpfully suggested here  :

April 4th, 2011

A better way is to deny Reader access to that register key.

This will work on Vista and Windows 7. It will work on xp as well, but the menus behave a little different, but not so much that it should be a problem to follow the instructions.

-Follow the guide above, but instead of deleteing the whole key, just delete all content.
-Right-click cRecentFiles and choose Permissions.
-Click Advanced
-Remove the check on “Include iheritable permissions….”
-It will ask you if you want to Add the permission inherited or Remove them. Choose Remove and then Ok.

You now have no permission to write to this key, so Reader cannot add any entries to it. It will however behave normally and just ignore that it could’nt write to the key. Every time you now open Reader, the list will be empty.

[Guest]

In an age where digital and online privacy is of paramount importance it seems total craziness that Adobe has decided to remove the ability to clear history.

Every other organisation seems to be enabling users to control their information whereas Adobe seems to think that it knows best for all.

We all have unique circumstances which require us to use products in different ways. Adobe has made a serious error in making history deletion so difficult.

What about people viewing PDF files in areas controlled by oppressive regimes? What about someone opening their resume on a work computer? What about… all sorts of different scenarios!

Adobe, bring this feature back.

[wegion]

I'd also like to see this feature.  I just converted a document that contained confidential information.  I couldn't believe that the history couldn't be removed.  Please bring back the the clear recent item functionality.