Where to Find RecentDocs in the Windows Registry

Windows automatically tracks the files and folders you open to populate “Recent” lists across File Explorer and various applications. This tracking information is stored within the Windows Registry under the RecentDocs subkey. This article explains the exact registry path where this history is recorded, how the RecentDocs key organizes entries by file type, and how the underlying values store chronological document history.

The Registry Path for RecentDocs

To locate where Windows records the history of opened documents, open the Registry Editor (regedit.exe) and navigate to the following path:

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\RecentDocs

This key applies specifically to the currently logged-in user account.

How RecentDocs Organizes Document History

The RecentDocs subkey maintains document history at both a global level and a per-extension level:

• The Root RecentDocs Key: Contains the master list of all recently opened files and folders, regardless of their file format.
• Extension Subkeys: Underneath RecentDocs, you will find subkeys named after specific file extensions (such as .docx, .pdf, .txt, .jpg, and .mp4) as well as a Folder subkey. Each of these subkeys stores recent history specific to that particular file type or directory.

How the Data Is Stored

Within the root key and each extension subkey, the data is stored using binary values:

• Numbered Binary Entries (0, 1, 2, etc.): Each numbered value contains the file name and path encoded in binary (hexadecimal) format.
• MRUListEx Value: This is a binary sequence that dictates the “Most Recently Used” order. It lists the order of the numbered entries so Windows knows which file was accessed most recently. The first entry in the MRUListEx sequence represents the latest opened document.

Viewing and Clearing RecentDocs

To clear this history, you can delete the contents inside the RecentDocs key or clear the File Explorer history via File Explorer Options > General > Clear File Explorer history. Deleting the registry subkeys directly will reset the list, and Windows will automatically regenerate the keys when new documents are opened.