# How do I erase my recent sites list in IE? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [August 29, 2003, 4:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-erase-my-recent-sites-list-in-ie/198368 "2003-08-29T04:23:11Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 11\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Herge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/a183cd/32.png) [@Herge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Herge)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2003, 4:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-erase-my-recent-sites-list-in-ie/198368/1 "2003-08-29T04:23:11Z")
I want to delete all of the entries in my recent websites drop down list but I can’t delete all of the entries. It is the address bar drop down list in IE5.x. I have tried the Delete Files option and the Clear History option, but it doesn’t remove all of the entries. How can I delete all of these entries? I’m running XP professional. Thanks for any help you can give. ---
**Author:** ![SmackFu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/53a042/32.png) [@SmackFu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SmackFu)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2003, 4:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-erase-my-recent-sites-list-in-ie/198368/2 "2003-08-29T04:35:12Z")
One way to do it is to use [TweakUI](http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/pro/downloads/powertoys.asp). If you have it installed and click on it in the Control Panel, there is a Paranoia tab that lets you delete the IE history entries at logon or on demand. ---
**Author:** ![Herge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/a183cd/32.png) [@Herge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Herge)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2003, 4:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-erase-my-recent-sites-list-in-ie/198368/3 "2003-08-29T04:51:48Z")
Thanks Smackfu, I will try that. ---
**Author:** ![China\_Guy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/779978/32.png) [@China\_Guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/China_Guy)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2003, 11:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-erase-my-recent-sites-list-in-ie/198368/4 "2003-08-29T11:06:17Z")
open up internet explorer tools…internet options…clear history ---
**Author:** ![vasyachkin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/c5a1d2/32.png) [@vasyachkin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vasyachkin)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2003, 11:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-erase-my-recent-sites-list-in-ie/198368/5 "2003-08-29T11:27:03Z")
what China Guy said. ---
**Author:** ![Frylock](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ce7236/32.png) [@Frylock](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frylock)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2003, 2:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-erase-my-recent-sites-list-in-ie/198368/6 "2003-08-29T14:06:20Z")
China Guy, in the original post (just four lines to read…) the poster mentioned that “clear history” was attempted–and failed. I for one would like to know why a “clear history” would fail. That sounds scary… -FrL- ---
**Author:** ![x-ray\_vision](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/x-ray_vision/32/351_2.png) [@x-ray\_vision](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/x-ray_vision)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2003, 3:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-erase-my-recent-sites-list-in-ie/198368/7 "2003-08-29T15:03:42Z")
Clear history doesn’t work for me either. [This](http://www.techtv.com/callforhelp/freefile/story/0,24330,3506141,00.html) does. ---
**Author:** ![cletus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f08c70/32.png) [@cletus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cletus)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2003, 7:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-erase-my-recent-sites-list-in-ie/198368/8 "2003-08-30T07:47:31Z")
**SmackFu** , I have TweakUI installed but it doesn’t show up in my control panel. How can I access that paranoid tab of which you speak? I can still open up TweakUI through the start button or through other, normal means. I would like to have IE delete the cache everytime I logon/logoff but I don’t know how. 😕 ---
**Author:** ![Horrifying\_Howler\_Monkey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/df788c/32.png) [@Horrifying\_Howler\_Monkey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Horrifying_Howler_Monkey)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2003, 1:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-erase-my-recent-sites-list-in-ie/198368/9 "2003-08-30T13:12:45Z")
I have heard of this issue with XP before. For some reason I can’t get into [support.micorsoft.com](http://support.micorsoft.com), but I know there is a knowledge base article with a fix there. ---
**Author:** ![Crakmine](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ad7895/32.png) [@Crakmine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crakmine)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2003, 5:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-erase-my-recent-sites-list-in-ie/198368/10 "2003-08-30T17:03:23Z")
You have to clear your recent documents(if you mean, the dropdown in IE of sites you’ve used), from your Taskbar and Start Menu Properties Right click your taskbar, click properties, click the Start Menu tab, then “Customize” then click the Advanced tab, then click the “Clear List” button under “Recent Documents” Also, watch out, theres a recent programs AND a recent documents, both with a clear list, you might want to check yourself ---
**Author:** ![Crakmine](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ad7895/32.png) [@Crakmine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crakmine)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2003, 5:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-erase-my-recent-sites-list-in-ie/198368/11 "2003-08-30T17:04:36Z")
That being said, I know it makes no sense for it to be there, and if it really worries you, I could tell you how to do it from the Registry .)