How to clear MRU list in Visual Studio?

Question

I want to clear the list of projects on the start page ... how to do this? I know that I can track it in the registry, but is there an approved route?

Answer 1

There is an MSDN article here that suggests that you simply move the projects to a new directory.

However, as you mentioned, the list of projects is stored in the registry under this key:

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\VisualStudio\<version>\ProjectMRUList 

and the list of recent files is stored in this key:

 HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\VisualStudio\<version>\FILEMRUList 

Note for Visual Studio 2015:
The place has changed. You can find out this answer for details.

Some people have automated the cleaning of this registry key with their tools:
Visual Studio Utility for Recent Files
Add-in for cleaning up the Visual Studio 2008 MRU project list

Answer 2

PowerCommands for Visual Studio 2008

Features

• Clear Recent File List
• Clear Recent Projects List
• Clear all panoramas
• Copy path
• Email CodeSnippet
• Insert Guid Attribute
• Show all files
• Cancel Close
• Collapse Projects
• Copy class
• Insertion class
• Copy Links
• Insert links
• Copy as project link
• Change project file
• Open containing folder
• Open command line
• Upload projects
• Update projects
• Deleting and sorting users
• Extract Constant
• Conversion Patterns
• Close all

Answer 3

If you try to open a project that can no longer be found, Visual Studio will offer you permission to remove it from the MRU list. Therefore, if you temporarily renamed the corresponding top-level folder to fake the disappearance of projects, you can get rid of projects in turn.

Answer 4

In Visual Studio 2015, all history lists (including search history, MRU file, and MRU project) are now located at:

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\VisualStudio\14.0\MRUItems

You will see a different GUID folder for each list and a subfolder named Items in each of them. Locate the Items folder containing the corresponding list, and simply delete its parent GUID folder.

Visual Studio will again create the GUID folder along with the new child folder Items , the next time she wants to add something to the list again.

Answer 5

I found the MRU editor from Code Project a great tool for this. There is no problem with this, and it works in 2003, 2005 and 2008.

Answer 6

Note This answer applies to Visual Studio 2010.

If you do not want to manually edit the registry, you can use PowerCommands for Visual Studio 2010 .

PowerCommands 10.0 is a set of useful extensions for Visual Studio 2010 adding additional features to various areas of the development environment.

Specific command to clean the registry from the extension:

Clear the list of recent projects . This command clears the list of recent Visual Studio projects. The Clear Recent Project List command invokes the Clear File Dialog Box, which allows any or all of the latest projects to be selected.

PowerCommands can be installed using the Visual Studio Extension Manager: Tools> Extension Manager> Online Gallery: Search for PowerCommands for Visual Studio 2010.

Answer 7

Try using recently used files: a free addin for Visual Studio that manages MRU files for each project: Supports VS 2010, 2012, 2013.

For Visual Studio 2012, 2013: http://visualstudiogallery.msdn.microsoft.com/a61cbd1d-b5a2-490b-a6bb-f0ea3ecf214a

For Visual Studio 2010: http://visualstudiogallery.msdn.microsoft.com/45283881-5a62-4dc1-8ffb-4cbc02709947

Answer 8

For Visual Studio 2013: Open the Run dialog box (press "Win + R") Type: regedit go to: HKEY_CURRENT_USER> Software> Microsoft> VisualStudio press 12.0, after which the files will be displayed on the right side. Find "LastLoadedSolution", right-click and click "Edit." change the value to 0.

It worked for me.

Answer 9

I'm not sure if this solution was posted somewhere here, but if you have VS 2013 Update 5, you can open the start page and right-click the project under the Recent list and choose Remove from List. I do not know what about other versions of VS, perhaps this feature is available.

Answer 10

I had this problem in relation to VS 2017, where you do not have MRU elements in the registry, as in previous versions. On the other hand, the solution was simple: go to "Tools-> Extensions and Updates" and install "Power Commands for Visual Studio". Once installed, your File menu will look like the one below.

Just click a menu item to clear the MRU project.