By default, new macs open a folder “Recent” when you open a new Finder window. If you don't want to see your recent files every time you open a window (or see it in the sidebar), you can hide or disable it. That's how.
what is folder “Recent” on a mac?
As you guessed, Folder “Recent” on macOS it's not an actual folder location. It is a smart folder that is an automatic Spotlight search for the most recently used files. Every file you see in the list of “Recent” actually lives in different folders on your Mac. You will only see shortcuts to those files in one central location.
You can't completely delete the folder “Recent” from macOS, but you can take steps to hide it or disable its operation. That's how.
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How to hide the folder “Recent” in Finder
Can't delete the folder though “Recent” Set the function, most people can be satisfied with hiding it from casual view while using the Finder (even when there is a more dramatic step, see next section).
To do it, focus on Finder by clicking its icon in your dock. This brings Finder to the fore and makes it the active application.
Next, open Finder preferences by clicking “Finder” in the menu bar, later select “preferences”. Or you can press Command +, (coma) on your keyboard.
When Finder Preferences opens, click on the tab “General”, then click on the menu labeled “New Finder window”.
When the menu expands, select a new folder location that you would like to see each time you open a new Finder window. You can select any location other than “Recent” If you are in clear mode and visit. In our example, we choose our home folder.
Thereafter, close Finder Preferences.
Next, we will remove the shortcut “Recent” found in the Finder sidebar by default. Open a new Finder window and right-click on “Recent” in the sidebar. In the menu that appears, select “Delete from sidebar”.
After performing these two steps, you will no longer see the folder “Recent” in your daily activities. Despite this, will still be reachable via the menu “Ir” Finder in the menu bar at the top of the screen.
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The nuclear option: absolutely disable the folder “Recent”
Folder “Recent” works with Spotlight. If you want to completely disable the folder “Recent”, there is the drastic but effective option to disable Spotlight searches for all documents on your Mac hard drive. The downside to this method is that you will no longer be able to use Spotlight to find your files. Despite this, you can still use it to launch apps and search for messages, contacts and other types of data.
Yes that's fine, open System Preferences by clicking the Apple icon in the upper left corner of the screen and selecting “System preferences”. When System Preferences opens, click on “Spotlight”.
A Spotlight, click on the tab “Privacy” and you will see a list labeled “Prevent Spotlight from searching these locations”. By using this, we can prevent Spotlight from placing files in the folder “Recent”. Click the button “plus” (“+”) to add a folder.
In the window that appears, select “Macintosh HD” in the dropdown menu near the top of the window. This will include all the files on your main hard drive. When requesting confirmation, click on “To accept”.
Thereafter, you will see “Macintosh HD” on the exclusion list.
If you also want to exclude files from external drives, Press the button “plus” again and add them to the list “Prevent Spotlight from searching these locations”.
Close System Preferences, then open the folder “Recent” en el Finder seleccionando Ir> Recientes. The window should be blank. If there are still files in the list, then they are located on external drives. Go back to System Preferences> Spotlight> Privacy and add more drives to the exclusion list.
The good news is that you can still use Spotlight to search for other items, including apps, contacts and messages, but your folder “Recent” will remain empty. Now, casual snoopers who may be looking over your shoulder won't know what you've been working on.
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