Cloud storage services provide you with a location fo files you want to access from multiple devices. There are so many platforms of this kind, but in 2018, between them, all was an estimated 1.9 billion. That number was projected to climb to 2.3 billion in 2020.
Google Drive is particularly popular thanks to how easy it is for Android users to get started with it. In 2018, there were nearly one billion people on the platform, and although the exact numbers aren’t none now, it is clear that Google Drive is a massive platform.
If you’re a hardcore user of this app, your Google Drive history is constantly updated and filled with new files. It is understandable when you look at your recent activity, and it is packed. It’s times like this that you want to know how to get Google Drive clear recent list. After all, when your files are sensitive, you don’t want them exposed from your recent activity Google has.
This isn’t a challenging task to accomplish at all. If you know the right steps, you’ll be able to clear your recent activity without much trouble. This article will help you cover those, so let’s get right into it.
Do you have a particular question about clearing the recent history on Google docs? Then use the table of contents below to jump to the most relevant section. And you can always go back by clicking on the black arrow in the right bottom corner of the page. Also, please note that some of the links in this article may be affiliate links. For more details, check the Disclosure section at the bottom of the page.
Here's what we'll cover:
Why might you want to delete recent Google Drive activity?
Everyone is different, just like the reasons for clearing your Google Drive recent folder. However, there are some very good reasons to want to do this.
For instance, you might deal a lot with sensitive material and files. Not only do you want to avoid anyone peering over your shoulder from being able to see all the financial secrets of the company you work for. It will also prevent anyone who gains access into your Google Drive account from being able to jump straight to the last things you worked on.
Another reason is to tackle the clutter. Having your Google Drive recent files show up the moment you open the application isn’t the best look.
You might have another reason for wanting to get rid of your recent file history. Whatever reason you have, what you really want to know is how to actually do it, and that’s what we’ll talk about next.
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How to hide activity on Google Drive?
In Google Drive, there is a tab for recent files. While there is no way to altogether remove this tab, it is possible in Google Drive to hide recent on the Home or My Drive tab. In fact, it is easy, and this will prevent these from showing up in “Quick Access.” Follow these steps:
- Go to your Google Drive.
- Click on the icon that is a little gear or cog.
- Click on “Settings.”
- You should be under the “General” tab by default. At the very bottom, there should be a “Suggestions” row.
- Uncheck “Make relevant file shandy when you need them in Quick Access.”
- By doing this, you should no longer see recently opened files on the home page.
How to clear recent in Google Drive?
There is actually no way to clear out the Recent tab in Google Drive. While you might see the ‘Delete’ button on each one, that will delete recent Google Drive files entirely, and not just from the Recents list. This is likely not what you’re looking for.
The Google Drive activity log is a part of Google Drive that keeps the history of all changes you have made to a document. There are some times where you might want to clear recent in Google Drive. This might be because you made a mistake and want to restore it to what it was before you got there. Or it could be because the changes are no longer needed.
While there is no easy way to do this, it is possible with files from G Suite. For instance, if you open a Google Docs file, just follow these steps to clear Google Drive activity.
- Open the file you want to clear the recent activity for.
- At the far right of the options in the top menu for Google Docs should be “last edit was…” or something similar. Click on this text, and it will bring up the version history.
- Click on the three dots beside the version you want to go back to.
- Click on “Restore this version.” This should be all you need to do!
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Can you restore the deleted recent drive activity?
Yes, you can! While you might have gone back to a previous version, that shows a change in the activity. You can then choose to restore it back to how it was before you cleared the recent changes. This means you will never completely delete the previous versions of your Google Drive activity.
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