How to Clear File Search MRU History in Windows 7

When you open the Search window in Windows 7, the previously typed search queries (MRU) are displayed in the Search bar. Also, when you type a search query, the autocomplete lists possible matches as you type. Here is how to clear the search entries individually and collectively.

You can remove an item from the Search MRU list by highlighting that item (using the mouse, or Up/Down keys) and then pressing the DELETE key.

To clear the entire Search MRU History via the registry directly, use these steps:

1. Click Start, type Regedit.exe and press ENTER.

2. Navigate to the following branch:

HKEY_CURRENT_USER \ Software \ Microsoft \ Windows \ CurrentVersion \ Explorer \ WordWheelQuery

3. Right-click the WordWheelQuery branch and choose Delete

4. Exit the Registry Editor.

Registry Fix

To automate the above task, download w7_clearsearchmru.zip. Unzip and run the enclosed REG file.

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8 Comments

  1. Gerardo
    said this on Sunday, August 8th 2010 12:44 am

    Great Stuff, works llike a charm!!!

  2. 4564564
    said this on Friday, April 2nd 2010 10:26 pm

    Now if you want to permanantly disable Search MRU list,

    1. Click start and in the search area type gpedit.msc

    2. Now the group policy editor will open. In it go to User Configuration > Administrative Templates>Windows Components>Windows Explorer

    3. In the settings panel under Windows Explorer look for Turn off display of recent search entries in the Windows Explorer search box

    4. Right click it and select edit

    Use not configured or disabled to keep search history enabled.

    Use Enable to disable the search history

  3. pete
    said this on Thursday, February 18th 2010 5:49 am

    Haha that remembers me Window 98, you had to do this all the time.

  4. romas1992
    said this on Saturday, October 31st 2009 1:59 pm

    ty man very usefull !!!! U ARE THE BEST !!!!!!!!!!!

  5. hask
    said this on Wednesday, October 28th 2009 3:38 am

    nice…very nice and useful, but, wtf… what a wired OS has a procedure like this in 2009 ??? , hell rly hope they fix soon

  6. emreka
    said this on Monday, September 28th 2009 2:09 pm

    thank you. and how ridiculus that is we have to do this. I hope it gets fixed soon.

  7. don
    said this on Tuesday, July 21st 2009 1:32 pm

    thank you good sir!

  8. Thomas Young
    said this on Friday, March 20th 2009 6:10 am

    Excellent!

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