How to Clean Up Recents on Mac: A Step-by-Step Guide
Managing your Mac’s recent items can be a crucial task for maintaining a clean and organized workspace. Whether you’re dealing with a cluttered dock or an overwhelming list of recent applications, cleaning up recents on your Mac can help improve performance and make your workflow more efficient. In this article, we’ll provide you with a step-by-step guide on how to clean up recents on your Mac, ensuring a smoother and more enjoyable experience.
1. Cleaning Up the Dock
The dock is a common area where recent applications and documents can accumulate. To clean up the dock, follow these steps:
- Click and hold on the item you want to remove from the dock.
- Select “Remove from Dock” from the dropdown menu.
Alternatively, you can right-click on the item and choose “Remove from Dock” from the context menu.
2. Clearing Recent Items
MacOS keeps a list of recently opened documents and applications. To clear this list, follow these steps:
- Open the Apple menu () and select “System Preferences.”
- Click on “Recent Items.”
- Select the items you want to remove from the list by clicking on them.
- Press the “Delete” key on your keyboard to remove the selected items.
3. Cleaning Up the Menu Bar
The menu bar at the top of your screen can also accumulate recent items. To clean up the menu bar, follow these steps:
- Right-click on the menu bar item you want to remove.
- Select “Remove from Menu Bar.”
4. Managing Recent Applications
MacOS keeps a list of recently opened applications. To manage this list, follow these steps:
- Open the Apple menu () and select “System Preferences.”
- Click on “Recent Items.”
- Under the “Opened with” section, click on the “Clear” button to remove all items from the list.
5. Deleting Recently Opened Documents
MacOS also keeps a list of recently opened documents. To delete these documents, follow these steps:
- Open the Apple menu () and select “System Preferences.”
- Click on “Recent Items.”
- Under the “Opened with” section, click on the “Clear” button to remove all items from the list.
By following these steps, you can effectively clean up recents on your Mac, ensuring a clutter-free and efficient workspace. Regularly maintaining your Mac’s recent items will not only improve performance but also make it easier to find the applications and documents you need.
