Clear Windows Search history

Overview

About this script

This script improves your privacy on Windows.

These changes use Windows system commands to update your settings.

This script clears Windows search history to enhance privacy.

Windows records search keywords used on your device 1 2 3 4 5 6. This data includes search terms and dates 1 2 4 5. It's used in forensic analysis to study user behavior 1 2 3 4 5 6.

Clearing search history improves privacy by removing this potentially sensitive information. It may also improve system performance by freeing up storage space.

Caution

Clearing search history may affect your ability to quickly find recently searched items.

Technical Details

The script enhances privacy by deleting this tracking information from the following locations:

• HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Search Assistant\ACMru\* 1 3 6: Used by Windows XP 1 3. It stores search history in subkeys 6 6. This location is not used in newer Windows versions 1 3.
• HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\WordWheelQuery 1 2 3 5: Used by Windows 7 and later versions 1 2 3 5, including Windows 10 2 5 and 11 5 to store search history.
• HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\SearchHistory 3 4: Used by Windows 8 and later for search history 3 4. Windows 8 utilizes Microsoft.Windows.FileSearchApp sub key 4.
• %LOCALAPPDATA%\Microsoft\Windows\ConnectedSearch\History folder 3 4. This directory is used by Windows 8.1 to store search history 3 4.

This script uses Batch (batchfile) scripting language.

Safe for General Use

This script is recommended for all users. It helps to improve privacy without affecting stability.

Implementation Details

• Language: batch

• Required Privileges: Administrator rights

• Compatibility: Windows only

• Reversibility: Some changes may be permanent

Explore Categories

Clear recent activity

This action belongs to Clear recent activity category. 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... Read more on category page ▶

Privacy cleanup

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 ▶

Apply now

Choose one of three ways to apply:

1. Automatically via privacy.sexy: The easiest and safest option.
2. Manually by downloading: Requires downloading a file.
3. Manually by copying: Advanced flexibility.

Alternative 1. Apply with Privacy.sexy

privacy.sexy is free and open-source application that lets securely apply this action easily.

Open privacy.sexy

privacy.sexy instructions

1. Open or download the desktop application
2. Search for the script name: Clear Windows Search history.
3. Check the script by clicking on the checkbox.
4. Click on Run button at the bottom of the page.

Alternative 2. Download

Reversible

This script is 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.

1. Download the script file by clicking on the button below:

   Download script

2. Run the script file by clicking on it.

Alternative 3. Copy

This is for advanced users. Consider automatically applying or downloading the script for simpler way.

1. Open Command Prompt as administrator.

HELP: Step-by-step guide

1. Click on Start menu

   Windows 11

   

   Windows 10

   

2. Type cmd

   Windows 11

   

   Windows 10

   

3. Right click on Command Prompt select Run as administrator

   Windows 11

   

   Windows 10

   

4. Click on Yes to run Command Prompt

   Windows 11

   

   Windows 10

   

---

Windows 11

Windows 10

2. Copy the following code:

Code to apply changes

:: Clear register values from "HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Search Assistant\ACMru" (recursively)
PowerShell -ExecutionPolicy Unrestricted -Command "$rootRegistryKeyPath = 'HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Search Assistant\ACMru'; function Clear-RegistryKeyValues { try { $currentRegistryKeyPath = $args[0]; Write-Output "^""Clearing registry values from `"^""$currentRegistryKeyPath`"^""."^""; $formattedRegistryKeyPath = $currentRegistryKeyPath -replace '^([^\\]+)', '$1:'; if (-Not (Test-Path -LiteralPath $formattedRegistryKeyPath)) { Write-Output "^""Skipping: Registry key not found: `"^""$formattedRegistryKeyPath`"^""."^""; return; }; $directValueNames=(Get-Item -LiteralPath $formattedRegistryKeyPath -ErrorAction Stop | Select-Object -ExpandProperty Property); if (-Not $directValueNames) { Write-Output 'Skipping: Registry key has no direct values.'; } else { foreach ($valueName in $directValueNames) { Remove-ItemProperty -LiteralPath $formattedRegistryKeyPath -Name $valueName -ErrorAction Stop; Write-Output "^""Successfully deleted value: `"^""$valueName`"^"" from `"^""$formattedRegistryKeyPath`"^""."^""; }; Write-Output "^""Successfully cleared all direct values in `"^""$formattedRegistryKeyPath`"^""."^""; }; Write-Output "^""Iterating subkeys recursively: `"^""$formattedRegistryKeyPath`"^""."^""; $subKeys = Get-ChildItem -LiteralPath $formattedRegistryKeyPath -ErrorAction Stop; if (!$subKeys) { Write-Output 'Skipping: no subkeys available.'; return; }; foreach ($subKey in $subKeys) { $subkeyName = $($subKey.PSChildName); Write-Output "^""Processing subkey: `"^""$subkeyName`"^"""^""; $subkeyPath = Join-Path -Path $currentRegistryKeyPath -ChildPath $subkeyName; Clear-RegistryKeyValues $subkeyPath; }; Write-Output "^""Successfully cleared all subkeys in `"^""$formattedRegistryKeyPath`"^""."^""; } catch { Write-Error "^""Failed to clear registry values in `"^""$formattedRegistryKeyPath`"^"". Error: $_"^""; Exit 1; }; }; Clear-RegistryKeyValues $rootRegistryKeyPath"
:: Clear register values from "HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\WordWheelQuery" 
PowerShell -ExecutionPolicy Unrestricted -Command "$rootRegistryKeyPath = 'HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\WordWheelQuery'; function Clear-RegistryKeyValues { try { $currentRegistryKeyPath = $args[0]; Write-Output "^""Clearing registry values from `"^""$currentRegistryKeyPath`"^""."^""; $formattedRegistryKeyPath = $currentRegistryKeyPath -replace '^([^\\]+)', '$1:'; if (-Not (Test-Path -LiteralPath $formattedRegistryKeyPath)) { Write-Output "^""Skipping: Registry key not found: `"^""$formattedRegistryKeyPath`"^""."^""; return; }; $directValueNames=(Get-Item -LiteralPath $formattedRegistryKeyPath -ErrorAction Stop | Select-Object -ExpandProperty Property); if (-Not $directValueNames) { Write-Output 'Skipping: Registry key has no direct values.'; } else { foreach ($valueName in $directValueNames) { Remove-ItemProperty -LiteralPath $formattedRegistryKeyPath -Name $valueName -ErrorAction Stop; Write-Output "^""Successfully deleted value: `"^""$valueName`"^"" from `"^""$formattedRegistryKeyPath`"^""."^""; }; Write-Output "^""Successfully cleared all direct values in `"^""$formattedRegistryKeyPath`"^""."^""; }; } catch { Write-Error "^""Failed to clear registry values in `"^""$formattedRegistryKeyPath`"^"". Error: $_"^""; Exit 1; }; }; Clear-RegistryKeyValues $rootRegistryKeyPath"
:: Clear register values from "HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\SearchHistory" (recursively)
PowerShell -ExecutionPolicy Unrestricted -Command "$rootRegistryKeyPath = 'HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\SearchHistory'; function Clear-RegistryKeyValues { try { $currentRegistryKeyPath = $args[0]; Write-Output "^""Clearing registry values from `"^""$currentRegistryKeyPath`"^""."^""; $formattedRegistryKeyPath = $currentRegistryKeyPath -replace '^([^\\]+)', '$1:'; if (-Not (Test-Path -LiteralPath $formattedRegistryKeyPath)) { Write-Output "^""Skipping: Registry key not found: `"^""$formattedRegistryKeyPath`"^""."^""; return; }; $directValueNames=(Get-Item -LiteralPath $formattedRegistryKeyPath -ErrorAction Stop | Select-Object -ExpandProperty Property); if (-Not $directValueNames) { Write-Output 'Skipping: Registry key has no direct values.'; } else { foreach ($valueName in $directValueNames) { Remove-ItemProperty -LiteralPath $formattedRegistryKeyPath -Name $valueName -ErrorAction Stop; Write-Output "^""Successfully deleted value: `"^""$valueName`"^"" from `"^""$formattedRegistryKeyPath`"^""."^""; }; Write-Output "^""Successfully cleared all direct values in `"^""$formattedRegistryKeyPath`"^""."^""; }; Write-Output "^""Iterating subkeys recursively: `"^""$formattedRegistryKeyPath`"^""."^""; $subKeys = Get-ChildItem -LiteralPath $formattedRegistryKeyPath -ErrorAction Stop; if (!$subKeys) { Write-Output 'Skipping: no subkeys available.'; return; }; foreach ($subKey in $subKeys) { $subkeyName = $($subKey.PSChildName); Write-Output "^""Processing subkey: `"^""$subkeyName`"^"""^""; $subkeyPath = Join-Path -Path $currentRegistryKeyPath -ChildPath $subkeyName; Clear-RegistryKeyValues $subkeyPath; }; Write-Output "^""Successfully cleared all subkeys in `"^""$formattedRegistryKeyPath`"^""."^""; } catch { Write-Error "^""Failed to clear registry values in `"^""$formattedRegistryKeyPath`"^"". Error: $_"^""; Exit 1; }; }; Clear-RegistryKeyValues $rootRegistryKeyPath"
:: Clear directory contents  : "%LOCALAPPDATA%\Microsoft\Windows\ConnectedSearch\History"
PowerShell -ExecutionPolicy Unrestricted -Command "$pathGlobPattern = "^""$($directoryGlob = '%LOCALAPPDATA%\Microsoft\Windows\ConnectedSearch\History'; if ($directoryGlob.EndsWith('\*')) { $directoryGlob } elseif ($directoryGlob.EndsWith('\')) { "^""$($directoryGlob)*"^"" } else { "^""$($directoryGlob)\*"^"" } )"^""; $expandedPath = [System.Environment]::ExpandEnvironmentVariables($pathGlobPattern); Write-Host "^""Searching for items matching pattern: `"^""$($expandedPath)`"^""."^""; $deletedCount = 0; $failedCount = 0; $foundAbsolutePaths = @(); Write-Host 'Iterating files and directories recursively.'; try { $foundAbsolutePaths += @(; Get-ChildItem -Path $expandedPath -Force -Recurse -ErrorAction Stop | Select-Object -ExpandProperty FullName; ); } catch [System.Management.Automation.ItemNotFoundException] { <# Swallow, do not run `Test-Path` before, it's unreliable for globs requiring extra permissions #>; }; try { $foundAbsolutePaths += @(; Get-Item -Path $expandedPath -ErrorAction Stop | Select-Object -ExpandProperty FullName; ); } catch [System.Management.Automation.ItemNotFoundException] { <# Swallow, do not run `Test-Path` before, it's unreliable for globs requiring extra permissions #>; }; $foundAbsolutePaths = $foundAbsolutePaths | Select-Object -Unique | Sort-Object -Property { $_.Length } -Descending; if (!$foundAbsolutePaths) { Write-Host 'Skipping, no items available.'; exit 0; }; Write-Host "^""Initiating processing of $($foundAbsolutePaths.Count) items from `"^""$expandedPath`"^""."^""; foreach ($path in $foundAbsolutePaths) { if (-not (Test-Path $path)) { <# Re-check existence as prior deletions might remove subsequent items (e.g., subdirectories). #>; Write-Host "^""Successfully deleted: $($path) (already deleted)."^""; $deletedCount++; continue; }; try { Remove-Item -Path $path -Force -Recurse -ErrorAction Stop; $deletedCount++; Write-Host "^""Successfully deleted: $($path)"^""; } catch { $failedCount++; Write-Warning "^""Unable to delete $($path): $_"^""; }; }; Write-Host "^""Successfully deleted $($deletedCount) items."^""; if ($failedCount -gt 0) { Write-Warning "^""Failed to delete $($failedCount) items."^""; }"

3. Right click on command prompt to paste it.
4. Press Enter to apply remaining code.

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