how to remove viewed file list from windows media player

From the Windows XP help file
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How to Delete the Recent Play List from Windows Media Player
The information in this article applies to:
Microsoft Windows Media Player 7.1
Microsoft Windows Media Player 6.0
Microsoft Windows Media Player 6.1
Microsoft Windows Media Player 6.2
Microsoft Windows Media Player 6.4
Microsoft Windows Media Player 7
Microsoft Windows Media Player for Windows XP Home Edition
Microsoft Windows Media Player for Windows XP Professional

This article was previously published under Q243621
IMPORTANT: This article contains information about modifying the registry. Before you modify the registry, make sure to back it up and make sure that you understand how to restore the registry if a problem occurs. For information about how to back up, restore, and edit the registry, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:
256986 Description of the Microsoft Windows Registry

SUMMARY
This article describes how to remove the recent entries from the Windows Media Player play list.
MORE INFORMATION
Use either of the following methods to clear the most recent entries from the Windows Media Player play list:
Use either the ClearMRU.exe file in the Windows Media Player Bonus Pack for Media Player 7.1 or the Windows Media Player Bonus Pack for Windows XP. You can download the Windows Media Player Bonus Packs from the following Microsoft Web site:
http://www.microsoft.com/windows/windowsmedia/download

NOTE: The Media Player Bonus Pack used to be known as the Windows Media Player PowerToys utility.

Use Registry Editor to delete either the RecentURLList key or the RecentFileList key manually.
Using Registry Editor
WARNING: If you use Registry Editor incorrectly, you may cause serious problems that may require you to reinstall your operating system. Microsoft cannot guarantee that you can solve problems that result from using Registry Editor incorrectly. Use Registry Editor at your own risk.

To remove the play list entries:
Start Registry Editor (Regedt32.exe).
Locate and click the following registry key:
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\MediaPlayer\Player\RecentFileList

If you are using Windows Media Player 6.4, click RecentURLList folder, and then click Delete on the Edit menu.

If you are using either Windows Media Player 7, 7.1, or Windows Media Player for Windows XP, click RecentFileList, and then click Delete on the Edit menu.
Quit Registry Editor.
NOTE: This registry key is re-created the next time you open a file in Media Player.
Clear Items from the Registry
To remove items from the play list, you can clear either of the following registry keys:
To remove content that has been streamed from a particular Web site, clear the following key:
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\MediaPlayer\Player\RecentURLList

To remove the entire file list that you recently played, clear the following registry key:
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\MediaPlayer\Player\RecentFileList

Both of these settings exist for the Media Player 7 and later. If you clear the RecentFileList setting, you may not remove enough content. Some URL files may still be displayed on the player screen.
Last Reviewed: 6/11/2002
Keywords: kbhowto kbsound KB243621