Clear recent activity
Overview
This category contains privacy scripts for Windows.
These changes use Windows system commands to update your settings.
This category includes scripts that erase traces of recent user activities on Windows. These scripts enhance privacy by removing records of accessed files, used applications, and changed system settings.
Clearing recent activity is crucial for protecting your privacy. Your computer keeps detailed logs of your actions, creating a digital footprint that can reveal sensitive information about your habits, interests, and personal life. This data can be exploited by cybercriminals, aggressive marketers, or even used in legal proceedings.
Regularly clearing this information helps you control your privacy and reduces the risk of personal. It also protects you from malicious actors who may insert harmful items into your activity history [4].
Key Benefits:
- Enhances privacy: Removes records that reveal personal usage patterns, habits, and preferences.
- Safeguards information: Helps protect sensitive information from unauthorized access and analysis.
- Improves security: Limits the information and attack surface available to potential attackers.
- Boosts performance: Improves system performance slightly by reducing unnecessary data.
Clearing recent activity may affect your productivity by removing quick access to recently used files, applications, and settings.
Be careful running these scripts. This category includes scripts with high impact:
- 🔴 Some not recommended scripts. They should only be used by advanced users. They may break important functionality.
- 🟡 Some recommended scripts only if you understand its implications. Some non-critical or features may no longer function correctly after running this this category.
- 🟢 Some safely recommended scripts. Safe-to use for any user.
Implementation Details
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Language: batch
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Scripts Count: 15 scripts
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Subcategories: 2
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Required Privileges: Administrator rights
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Compatibility: Windows only
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Reversibility: All changes can be reverted
Apply now
These scripts are written using Batch (batchfile) scripting language.
Choose one of two ways to apply:
- Automatically via privacy.sexy: The easiest and safest option.
- Manually by downloading: Requires downloading a file.
Alternative 1. Apply with Privacy.sexy
privacy.sexy is free and open-source application that lets securely apply this action easily.
It allows selectively choose parts of this action to conduct. You can fully restore this action (revert back to the original behavior) using the application. Additionally, you can apply only the recommended scripts, instead of applying all of the scripts.
privacy.sexy instructions
- Open or download the desktop application
- Search for the category name:
Clear recent activity. - Check the category by clicking on the checkbox of the category.
- Click on Run button at the bottom of the page.
Alternative 2. Download
You can choose to apply only scripts with less impact or also those with higher impact:
Strict
Recommended if you understand its implications. It may cause some non-critical features to no longer function correctly.
All
Not recommended for daily use as it breaks important functionality. It provides military-grade privacy, for special use-cases. Do not run it without having backups and system snapshots.
Consider restarting your computer for all changes to take affect.
This action is completely reversible, you can restore your changes to the initial/default state. The restore/revert methods provided here can help you fix issues.
If something goes wrong, use the Revert script provided above.
Standard
This script includes only Standard recommendation level.
Standard scripts in this category is recommended for all users. They help to improve privacy without affecting stability.
Download only standard scripts by clicking on the button:
Restore these changes if you decide to revert them by downloading the restore script:
Strict
This script includes Standard and Strict recommendation levels.
This script is only recommended if you understand their implications of every single change. Some non-critical or features may no longer function correctly after running this script.
Download Strict scripts:
Restore these changes if you decide to revert them by downloading the restore script:
All
This script includes Standard, Strict recommendation levels along with unrecommended scripts.
This script should only be used by advanced users. Some of these changes are NOT recommended for daily use as it breaks important functionality. Do not run it without having backups and system snapshots.
Download all scripts:
Restore these changes if you decide to revert them by downloading the restore script:
Explore further
This category includes total of 15 scripts and 2 subcategories.
Explore its 11 subscripts and 2 subcategories:
Clear Quick Access lists
This category focuses on managing Jump Lists in Windows. This feature was first introduced with Windows 7 in July 2009 and has been included in subsequent versions. These lists are found in the Start Menu or Taskbar and provide quick access to recently opened files and folders. The privacy concern with Jump Lists is their detailed recording of user activities. They store data such as file names, directory paths, MAC (Modified, Accessed, Created) timestamps, network information, volume names, and...
Clear Windows Registry recent activity
This category focuses on removing specific types of usage data from the Windows Registry to enhance privacy and improve system performance. The Windows Registry is a hierarchical database that stores settings, configurations, and options for the operating system, installed applications, and user preferences. It's like a central storage system for Windows and its programs. As users interact with their system and software, usage data and traces accumulate in the registry. This information is often...
Clear recent application history
This script removes the list of recently opened applications from the Windows Registry. Windows keeps track of applications used to open or save files in the "Open" and "Save" dialog boxes. This information includes: The last program used to access files in these dialogs • Timestamps of when programs were executed (in Windows Vista and later) • The order of entries, from most recently used • The folder location of the last file accessed by each application Digital forensic analysts often use thi...
Clear Adobe recent file history
This script removes the list of recently opened files in Adobe software. Adobe programs store a list of recently used files in the Windows registry. Each entry is labeled with a timestamp and includes details about the file opened at that specific time. This information can reveal a user's file activity patterns, potentially compromising privacy. By deleting these entries, the script: 1. Enhances privacy by eliminating traces of your recent file activity in Adobe programs. 2. May slightly improv...
Clear Microsoft Paint recent files history
This script removes the list of recently used files in Microsoft Paint. When you open or save an image file in Paint ("mspaint.exe"), it adds the image to the File > Recent pictures history list. This list provides quick access to recently used files but also creates a record of your Paint usage. The Paint registry keys are created only after you use the application. These keys store information such as: File names of recently opened images • Dates when images were last closed • Other relate...
Clear WordPad recent file history
This script removes the most recently used (MRU) file list from WordPad, enhancing user privacy. WordPad stores the names and paths of recently opened files. Unlike Microsoft Office Word, WordPad doesn't offer a built-in feature to clear this list. This data can be used in forensic investigations to analyze user behavior. The stored information includes: File Name: The name of the file opened in WordPad • File Path: The complete path to the file • File Modified Date/Time: When the MR...
Clear network drive mapping history
This script removes the history of mapped network drives from your system. Windows allows users to map network drives, which assigns a drive letter to a shared folder on a remote system. This makes accessing shared resources easier, as if they were local drives. When you map a network drive, Windows stores information about it. These stored details includes: The network path (UNC) of the mapped drive • When the drive was last accessed • Other mapped drive paths While convenient, this stored info...
Clear Windows Search history
This script clears Windows search history to enhance privacy. Windows records search keywords used on your device. This data includes search terms and dates. It's used in forensic analysis to study user behavior. Clearing search history improves privacy by removing this potentially sensitive information. It may also improve system performance by freeing up storage space. Technical Details - The script enhances privacy by deleting this tracking information from the following locations: Used by Wi...
Clear recent files and folders history
This script enhances privacy by removing traces of recently accessed files and folders from the Windows system. Windows automatically tracks and stores information about files and folders accessed by users. This data is maintained in various registry keys and includes details such as file names, types, access dates, and full paths. This information persists even after the original files or folders are deleted. This data is commonly used for forensic analysis to study your behavior. It can reveal...
Clear Windows Media Player recent activity history
This script clears the recent activity history in Windows Media Player. Windows Media Player automatically stores files and URLs you recently played for easy access through the history list. It also stores recently added radio station entries. This data can be exploited by attackers to gather information about you. The script improves privacy by removing traces of your media consumption habits. It may also enhance system performance by clearing unnecessary data. This script mimics the Tools > ...
Clear DirectX recent application history
This script removes the most recent application usage data stored by DirectX to enhance privacy. DirectX is a set of Windows components that helps software (often games and multimedia applications) to work directly with video and audio hardware. It logs the most recent application data in the system registry. Attackers exploit this information to gather insights about a target's system or network. Forensic analysts use this information to study your behavior. This script enhances your privacy by...
Clear Windows Run command history
This script clears the Most Recently Used (MRU) list in Windows Run. Windows Run is a utility that allows users to quickly open programs, files, folders, and web pages. It's also known as the Windows Run dialog box, Windows Command Window, Windows Run Box, Windows Run utility, and Windows Run window. You can access it by: Pressing Windows logo key + R • Searching for Run in the Start Menu • Running specific commands: • "explorer shell:::{2559a1f3-21d7-11d4-bdaf-00c04f60b9f0}" • `SYST...
Clear File Explorer address bar history
This script clears the history of paths you've typed in the File Explorer address bar. Windows stores recent paths entered in File Explorer (formerly known as Windows Explorer). This specifically targets paths that have been manually typed into the Address Bar. These can be file or folder locations. Windows saves up to 25 of these entries. The paths are saved upon closing the File Explorer window. This stored data includes: Full path typed • Date and time of entry This information may pose priva...
Explore Categories
This action belongs to Privacy cleanup category. This category configures Windows using 86 scripts. These scripts are organized in 18 categories. The category includes 9 subscripts and 5 subcategories that include more scripts and categories. Read more on category page ▶
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