How to Delete XP Search History

Windows XP remembers items you have searched for. Windows XP does this to make it easy for you to repeat searches. If you use a computer that is shared by other users, you may not want to share this data. You can protect your privacy by deleting your XP search history.

Instructions

1. Hold down "Ctrl" and press "R" to open the "Run" dialog box.

2. Type "Regedit" into the box and press "Enter." This will open the Windows Registry Editor.

3. Find the "search assistant" registry key:

   HKEY_CURRENT_USER \ SOFTWARE \ Microsoft \ Search Assistant \ ACMru \ 5603

4. Delete all search terms that appear in the right pane of the window.

5. Find the registry entries for Windows Classic Search by navigating to the following registry key:

   HKEY_CURRENT_USER \ Software \ Microsoft \ Internet Explorer \ Explorer Bars \ {C4EE31F3-4768-11D2-BE5C-00A0C9A83DA1} \ FilesNamedMRU

6. Delete all search terms that appear in the right pane of the window.

7. Close the Registry Editor.

8. Restart your computer for the changes to take effect.

References

• Clear "Search for files and folders" history in Windows XP