Tutorial: Remove Recently Used Items List in Linux Apps

Published on February 8, 2009 in Ideas and Tutorials and Linux and OpenSource. 409 Comments

Are you one of those guys who is pissed off because many applications log things you don’t want them to log ? Then continue reading. I am going to tell you how you can disable history of most apps except firefox, because, luckily, they store their information in the SAME place. I am using the easier way, using GUI, so that some of you newer users won’t have difficulties.

1. Open file manager in root mode. For this, open terminal, and type sudo nautilus, or sudo dolphin or sudo thunar or sudo pcmanfm depending on what file manager you use.

2. If your username is foobar, go to location /home/foobar.

3. There will be a file called .recently-used.xbel – delete it.

4. Create a new file with the same name – again as root.

5. Right click and in permissions, for all, set permisssions to NONE.

6. Do steps 3-5 for another file, this one called .recently-used located in the same directory.

7. Close the root file manager.

Now you have effectively disabled access and erazed information in the two files, where all standards compliant software store their recently used list,  by making root own them, and by BLOCKING all access to the files.

409 Responses to “Tutorial: Remove Recently Used Items List in Linux Apps”

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