Question:
In the Windows Explorer window there is a folder named Searches which contains a folder named Recently Changed. This folder shows every file that I have ever recently changed. These are not shortcuts so if I try to remove this evidence of my work by deleting a file in this folder the actual file is deleted from the folder it actually sits in. I need to be able to empty the contents of this Recently Changed folder (obviously without losing any files) and then disable it permanently. This is a terrible feature that denies the main user of a computer security and privacy. All other users have access to the Recently Changed folder.
Your help is greatly appreciated.
Les
Answer: Hey, Les. This is an easy one–just right-click the Recently Changed folder and then click Delete.
These are saved searches, and they’re kinda useful–basically they’re shortcuts to searches that you could do manually with a little more work. Windows Vista doesn’t stop you from deleting the default ones. To find them, open My Computer, expand your username, and then expand Searches.
Since you’re concerned about privacy, you really should just create separate user accounts for every person who might use your computer, password protect your user account, and have other users log on with their own accounts when they use the computer. Otherwise, they stillcan figure out what you’ve been working on.
Can I set my laptop with vista to connect to the internet via wireless automatically?
RL
I need to completelt delete some items from “recently changed” but right click delete doesn’t work. I get the msg saying the item cant be found even though I can see it in the “search” .
Can I delete vista and load XP without losing the rest of my software?
hello, i want to delete the ‘recently changed’ files. I can see them but cant delete. it says the original cannot be found. what to do? i have tried going all else
I tried to delete the recently changed files using the right click suggestion and still the files could not be found. I have windows vista.
The files cannot be deleted because the have already been deleted from their original location.
Try right clicking on a file and choosing “open containing folder” if you have deleted the file it can’t find it.
Vista won’t let you delete the reference to the file that has gone!
I even had this happen with a left over shortcut on the desktop to a program I uninstalled. It won’t let me delete it coz it can’t find it!!
This has got to be the biggest most awful feature in Vista!
I have heard that you can right click and delete the whole recently changed folder, how you get it back I don’t know.
Another solution is to stop this “indexing” in the control panel, select “Indexing options” then Advanced, then the File types tab, uncheck either all or just those you wish not to be indexed in the recently changed folder.
When I right click the folder, I have an option to “remove Link”, I take it this would remove the link of this folder from the right hand side favourites list when in windows explorer but the option to put it back would be where?
Just want to warn users that if you delete actual items from the recently changed folder they will be deleted from your pc, you are not deleting a reference to the file, your deleting the file itself, that’s why you get the error that it cannot find the file when you try to delete one that you already deleted.
Obviously, the folder doesn’t get refreshed in any way to indicate the file no longer exists.
This feature is just crap, we should have control to turn the feature off altogether, I mean, who needs to search, I know where I put my files!
try disk cleanup and defrag
Does it actually duplicate the files meaning there are 2 copies. one in the original folder and one in the recently changed folder?
Absolutely this is an awful feature, especially from a privacy standpoint.
What seemed to work nicely for me was to go to Indexing Options in Control Panel, then merely click Modify, click Show All Locations, click the arrow beside the (C:) drive, then uncheck the box beside Users (or all locations if more are listed). Click OK, and then it will unindex all items, and voila! no more items at all will show in the Recently Changed Folder.
Again, a stupid feature for total newbies only. I know what I work on and where these things are located. I don’t need this kind of “dumbing down” – I want “smarting up”!
This lack of privacy in Recently Changed Folder feature in Vista is to help Microsoft snoop on Vista user to collect information and sell to whoever wants it and thereby MS can keep their filthy earned $20 billion savings intact to show it to the world :)
To disable the list of recently opened files:
1. Right click the Taskbar and click Properties.
2. Click the Start Menu tab.
3. Under the Privacy section, uncheck the Store and display a list of recently opened files.
4. Click OK.
Got ya covered. (The start menu thing doesn’t stop the indexing of recently changed files)…
Ok, here we go:
What you want to do is stop Vista from INDEXING your changes.
Click Start > Control Panel > System and Maintenance > Indexing Options.
Then clock “Modify” at the bottom left.
Click “Show all Locations” at the bottom left of the new window.
The DEselect the drive or drives (usually your operating system). You may have to expand the drive to make sure you’ve deselected all of the folders. (click the little right-pointing triangle next to the checkbox to expand the drive’s contense).
After that’s done, click “OK” to exit, then click the “Advanced” tab on the previous window.
You can uncheck “Index encrypted files” if you don’t want archives indexed.
In the same window, select the “file types” tab and you can also tell Vista not to index certain file types (ie: don’t index mp3 or jpg files).
You can now “Ok” out of this window.
You may get a warning that “this operation will reindex…” or “Indexing speed is reduced due to user activity.”.
On the Advanced Options window, click “Rebuild”…again, you may get the “Indexing speed is reduced due to user activity.” warning. That’s Ok.
Click “Ok” to exit the Advanced Options window.
If you check your “recently changed” folder, it should now be empty.
!!! AWESOME !!! It Workzzzzzzz…!!!
When I right click and delete it goes right back in the trash can and then right back in to the same folder so what your saying does not make any sense
I hate this “Recently Changed” feature. I had a lot of my files deleted inadvertently by deleting those files in this folder/shortcut since I didn’t know that they also deleted the actual files sitting in my actual document folder or wherever I saved them. Also, this feature is absolutely not privacy. Anyone can see what you have been doing “recently” on your computer. I don’t like this at all.
darth thank you. that worked as well as i’ll ever know !!!
how do you return items to desktop that has been deleted by God knows what, i saw some of them in recently changed but don’t know enough about computer to dare losing everything , which has happened to me before, lucky for Mr. Microsost who wasn’t in choking distance….did i hear privacy mentioned on this site, share is the new privacy didn’t you know, just don’t go snapping photos of their private lives…different story then…
Fantastic! Thanks for all the help here; it was just what I was looking for.
Basically do the two most important things you can do to protect your privacy.
1. What you want to do is stop Vista from INDEXING your changes.
Click Start > Control Panel > System and Maintenance > Indexing Options.
Then clock “Modify” at the bottom left.
Click “Show all Locations” at the bottom left of the new window.
The DEselect the drive or drives (usually your operating system). You may have to expand the drive to make sure you’ve deselected all of the folders. (Click the little right-pointing triangle next to the checkbox to expand the drive’s contence).
After that’s done, click “OK” to exit, and then click the “Advanced” tab on the previous window.
You can uncheck “Index encrypted files” if you don’t want archives indexed.
In the same window, select the “file types” tab and you can also tell Vista not to index certain file types (i.e.: don’t index mp3 or jpg files).
You can now “Ok” out of this window.
You may get a warning that “this operation will reindex…” or “Indexing speed is reduced due to user activity.”
On the Advanced Options window, click “Rebuild”…again; you may get the “Indexing speed is reduced due to user activity.” warning. That’s Ok.
Click “Ok” to exit the Advanced Options window.
If you check your “recently changed” folder, it should now be empty.
And
2. To disable the list of recently opened files:
1. Right click the Taskbar and click Properties.
2. Click the Start Menu tab.
3. Under the Privacy section, uncheck the Store and display a list of recently opened files.
4. Click OK.
BINGO! All done! Nice! Thanks everyone for this info.
Great Info , i wish the others were as clear on what to do as you was. it wouldent have taken me so long 2 find out what 2 do. Ty. in addition, is there a way to modify the dates and times it searches to. say lets make it only search recently changed stuff from yesterday, but, im not meaning by changing the advanced search options in the search panel AFTER you click on the link, -but by altering the saved search folder thingy its self?
Darth Bobo, THANK YOUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU!
Microsoft is always adding bells and whistles that get in the way of the user. This is a prime example. Apple has a similar feature, but it is not intrusive. I leave my computer on at night, and when I woke up and awakened my desktop, I saw an open folder with all the recently changed files. Thanks Microsoft, for bringing out all my private files in clear view for everyone to see without my knowledge. STUPID! That’s all I can say about Microsoft AGAIN!