Recipe 5.22. Troubleshooting My Recent Documents

Problem

Documents you've recently used are supposed to show up on the My Recent Documents list on the Start menu. They don't, so you want them to show up.

Solution

Using downloadable software

TweakUI, one of a suite of free, unsupported utilities from Microsoft called PowerToys, can solve the problem. Get it from http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/pro/downloads/powertoys.asp. After you install it and run it, click Explorer. In the Settings box, check the box next to Maintain document history (Figure 5-20), and click OK.

Figure 5-20. If documents aren't being added to My Recent Documents, make sure that Maintain document history is checked under Settings

Using a graphical user interface

If you have Windows XP Professional, you can use the Group Policy Editor to make sure that documents you've recently used show up in My Recent Documents. The Group Policy Editor isn't available in the Home Edition. For more information about using the Group Policy Editor, see Recipe 5.19. Here's how to do it:

1. Run the Group Policy Editor by typing gpedit.msc at a command prompt or the Run box.

2. Go to User Configuration\Administrative Templates\Start Menu and Taskbar.

3. In the details pane, double-click on Do Not Keep History Of Recently Opened Documents. Select Disabled and click OK.

Discussion

If files aren't showing up in the My Recent Documents list, they most likely are not showing up in Microsoft Office documents as well. Normally, in Microsoft Office applications such as Word and Excel, the list of documents you've recently opened in each application shows up at the bottom of the File menu, but the same setting that controls My Recent Documents also controls whether files show up in Office applications. Additionally, if the files are now showing up in Office applications, the Options dialog box setting that controls how many should show up on the File menu won't appear as well. When you fix the problem with the My Recent Documents list, you'll also fix the problem with Office applications.

See Also

MS KB 307875, "How To Display, Use, and Clear `My Recent Documents' on the Start Menu in Windows XP"