{"id":78295,"date":"2025-04-07T11:34:55","date_gmt":"2025-04-07T06:04:55","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/198.58.113.91\/blog\/?p=78295"},"modified":"2026-03-09T12:17:17","modified_gmt":"2026-03-09T06:47:17","slug":"turn-off-file-uri-history-run-dialog","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.winhelponline.com\/blog\/turn-off-file-uri-history-run-dialog\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Turn off File Path URI history in Run Dialog"},"content":{"rendered":"

When you open the Run dialog and type f<\/strong> or \/<\/strong> (forward slash), the recently accessed files may appear in the list as file path URIs.<\/p>\n

\"Run<\/p>\n

You wonder where these entries are stored, as they’re not in the RunMRU registry location.<\/p>\n

Resolution<\/h2>\n

The file URI history comes from the IE browsing history database. There are two options to prevent the file URI history from appearing in the Run dialog.<\/p>\n

Option 1: Turn off auto-suggest<\/h3>\n

There is a registry edit to prevent the file URI suggestions from appearing in the Run dialog. However, the edit also turns off auto suggestions in the File Explorer address bar and the common dialog boxes.<\/p>\n

Launch regedit.exe<\/strong> and go to:<\/p>\n

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\\SOFTWARE\\Microsoft\\Windows\\CurrentVersion\\Explorer\\AutoComplete<\/pre>\n
Set AutoSuggest to no<\/strong>.<\/p>\n
Reference: How to Enable AutoSuggest and AutoComplete in Explorer Address Bar and Run Dialog<\/a><\/p>\n
\n
Option 2: Clear IE history<\/h3>\n
As mentioned above, the registry edit in Option 1 also turns off auto-suggest in File Explorer address bar and file open\/save as dialogs. If you don’t want to disable AutoSuggest, you can clear the file URI auto-suggest entries by running this command:<\/p>\n
rundll32.exe inetcpl.cpl,ClearMyTracksByProcess 1<\/pre>\n
If you use it regularly, you may create a shortcut for the above command and run it. You can also clear the history regularly by running the command using Task Scheduler.<\/p>\n
Note:<\/strong> The above command is equivalent to clearing the IE browsing history using inetcpl.cpl.<\/p>\n
\"Run<\/p>\n
Launch inetcpl.cpl<\/strong> to open Internet Options. Select the “Content” tab and click “Settings” next to AutoComplete. Click “Delete AutoComplete history…<\/strong>“. Select “History” and click “Delete.”<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
When you open the Run dialog and type f or \/ (forward slash), the recently accessed files may appear in the list as file path URIs.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[7],"tags":[264,441],"class_list":["post-78295","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-windows","tag-internet-explorer","tag-registry"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":1902,"url":"https:\/\/www.winhelponline.com\/blog\/autosuggest-autocomplete-explorer-address-bar-run-dialog\/","url_meta":{"origin":78295,"position":0},"title":"Enable or Disable Auto-Suggest and Inline AutoComplete in Run Dialog and Explorer","author":"Ramesh","date":"March 7, 2016","format":false,"excerpt":"As you type a path in the File Explorer or Windows Explorer address bar, the Run dialog or in the Create New Task dialog in Task Manager, the file or folder name suggestions are shown in a list box. When you type a letter in the Run dialog, the AutoComplete\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Windows"","block_context":{"text":"Windows","link":"https:\/\/www.winhelponline.com\/blog\/category\/microsoft\/windows\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"run dialog autocomplete not working","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.winhelponline.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/03\/run-dialog-autocomplete-content-tab-ie.png?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.winhelponline.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/03\/run-dialog-autocomplete-content-tab-ie.png?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.winhelponline.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/03\/run-dialog-autocomplete-content-tab-ie.png?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x"},"classes":[]},{"id":4533,"url":"https:\/\/www.winhelponline.com\/blog\/open-file-explorer-downloads-folder-default-windows-10\/","url_meta":{"origin":78295,"position":1},"title":"How to Change File Explorer Default Start Folder in Windows 10","author":"Ramesh","date":"November 6, 2016","format":false,"excerpt":"The Windows 10 File Explorer opens to Quick access by default. 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RELATED:\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Windows"","block_context":{"text":"Windows","link":"https:\/\/www.winhelponline.com\/blog\/category\/microsoft\/windows\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"thumbnails blank -- fix the IconServiceLib registry setting","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.winhelponline.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2008\/04\/iconservicelib-registry-thumbnail-fix.png?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.winhelponline.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2008\/04\/iconservicelib-registry-thumbnail-fix.png?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.winhelponline.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2008\/04\/iconservicelib-registry-thumbnail-fix.png?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.winhelponline.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2008\/04\/iconservicelib-registry-thumbnail-fix.png?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":1473,"url":"https:\/\/www.winhelponline.com\/blog\/pin-recent-folders-places-navigation-pane-windows-10-file-explorer\/","url_meta":{"origin":78295,"position":4},"title":"Pin Recent folders (Recent Places) to Explorer Navigation Pane in Windows 10\/11","author":"Ramesh","date":"January 22, 2016","format":false,"excerpt":"The Recent Places shell folder that appeared under the Favorites area in the navigation pane in the earlier Windows OS is not shown in Windows 10 and 11. 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