# Windows Media Player Question **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [December 9, 2002, 8:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/windows-media-player-question/141590 "2002-12-09T20:04:38Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Fiddle\_Peghead](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fiddle_peghead/32/3506_2.png) [@Fiddle\_Peghead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fiddle_Peghead)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2002, 8:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/windows-media-player-question/141590/1 "2002-12-09T20:04:38Z")
Under the file menu, there is a list of \*.wmv files that I have recently played. I would like to remove them from this list. How? ---
**Author:** ![SC\_Wolf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/eb9ed0/32.png) [@SC\_Wolf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SC_Wolf)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2002, 8:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/windows-media-player-question/141590/2 "2002-12-09T20:08:02Z")
If your Media Player is like mine, you’ve got 4 entries on that list, and the quickest way to replace them is by opening 4 new .wmv files. ---
**Author:** ![deathawk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ed8c4c/32.png) [@deathawk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/deathawk)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2002, 10:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/windows-media-player-question/141590/3 "2002-12-09T22:20:49Z")
First 2 Disclaimers: 1. YMMV depending on the WMP version you have. I am on 8. 2. Messing with the registry can have dire consequences if you change the wrong thing. Open the registry with Regedt32 (NT/2K/XP) or Regedit (Win95/98/ME). Go to HKCU. It is important to go to CURRENT USER and not LOCAL MACHINE. WMP has settings in both. The setting you are after is in HKCU. HKCU-\>Software-\>MediaPlayer-\>Player-\>RecentFileList. The files are listed as strings. Delete the strings. DO NOT DELETE THE DEFAULT VALUE. Close Regedt32, reopen media player. Viola, your recent history is gone. ---
**Author:** ![Fiddle\_Peghead](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fiddle_peghead/32/3506_2.png) [@Fiddle\_Peghead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fiddle_Peghead)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2002, 2:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/windows-media-player-question/141590/4 "2002-12-10T14:02:50Z")
Thanks for the info, but what is the registry? And what is Regedt32 (NT/2K/XP) or Regedit (Win95/98/ME)? ---
**Author:** ![Fiddle\_Peghead](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fiddle_peghead/32/3506_2.png) [@Fiddle\_Peghead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fiddle_Peghead)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2002, 2:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/windows-media-player-question/141590/5 "2002-12-10T14:13:03Z")
Actually, don’t bother with that last post. I figured it out all by my lonesome. Thanks again. ---
**Author:** ![ZipperJJ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zipperjj/32/211_2.png) [@ZipperJJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZipperJJ)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2002, 4:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/windows-media-player-question/141590/6 "2002-12-10T16:27:36Z")
Wow thanks for this thread. This has been driving me nuts, as I have (HAD!) some screen-width file names in there! ---
**Author:** ![Young\_Mr.Grace](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/e47c2d/32.png) [@Young\_Mr.Grace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Young_Mr.Grace)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2002, 5:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/windows-media-player-question/141590/7 "2002-12-10T17:13:35Z")
For an easy solution, go here [http://www.systweak.com/apo/apo.htm](http://www.systweak.com/apo/apo.htm) Advanced privacy protector is free and will wipe all traces and histories that you could want. (Documents, win media, IE history, etc.) ---
**Author:** ![sailor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a587f6/32.png) [@sailor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sailor)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2002, 5:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/windows-media-player-question/141590/8 "2002-12-10T17:21:32Z")
\>\> Viola, your recent history is gone Who is Viola? ---
**Author:** ![SC\_Wolf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/eb9ed0/32.png) [@SC\_Wolf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SC_Wolf)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2002, 6:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/windows-media-player-question/141590/9 "2002-12-10T18:59:56Z")
I’ve got an Aunt Viola. I don’t think she knows how to use Windows Media Player though.