How To Remove Recent Files In Photoshop

The Hidden Recent Files Panel In Photoshop CC

In this tutorial, nosotros'll acquire all about the hidden Recent Files console in Photoshop CC and how it can assist the states when viewing and selecting our recently-opened files.

In a previous tutorial, we learned all about the Start screen in Photoshop. I mention it here considering the Get-go screen and the Recent Files panel are very much related. If you haven't done so already, I highly recommend reading through the Start screen tutorial first before y'all keep.

The Start screen appears when we launch Photoshop CC, and it also appears when we shut out of our documents. Along with options for creating new documents and opening existing images, ane of the best features of the Start screen is that it conveniently displays our recent files as thumbnail images, making information technology easy to select and re-open up the ane we need.

Hither's what my First screen looks like after launching Photoshop, with my Recent Files thumbnails in the centre. To re-open one of my recent files, all I demand to do is click on its thumbnail. I'll select the second one from the left, top row:

Selecting an image from the Contempo Files list.

The epitome opens in Photoshop:

The first paradigm opens. © Steve Patterson.

So far, so good. I've opened my first image. Now, what if I desire to keep this first prototype open while I open a 2nd image, one that's also from my Recent Files listing? How practise I get back to the Commencement screen then I can view my Recent Files thumbnails and choose a different image?

The simple answer is, I can't. At least, non without closing the image I've already opened. The reason is that the Start screen only appears when no other documents are open. To get dorsum to the Start screen, and dorsum to my Recent Files thumbnails, I have no choice simply to close my current prototype.

The only manner to access my recent files without closing my current prototype, at least by default, is by going up to the File menu in the Menu Bar forth the top of the screen and choosing Open Recent. This displays my recent files equally a list. But the trouble is, they appear in the list simply by name. If I don't recall the name of the image I'one thousand looking for, I have no idea which 1 to select. We saw this same problem when we looked at how to piece of work with the Offset screen disabled in Photoshop:

The Open up Contempo control displays our contempo files by proper name only.

Wouldn't it be keen if there was some way to view our recent files every bit thumbnails without needing to become back to the Start screen? Luckily, there is a mode cheers to Photoshop'due south Recent Files workspace!

How To Turn On The Recent Files Workspace

Past default, the Contempo Files workspace is turned off, but nosotros tin hands plough it on in Photoshop's Preferences. On a Windows PC, go up to the Edit menu at the top of the screen, cull Preferences, and and so choose General. On a Mac (which is what I'm using here), go upwards to the Photoshop CC bill of fare, choose Preferences, then choose General:

Go to Edit (Win) / Preferences (Mac) > Preferences > Full general.

This opens the Preferences dialog box set to the General options. Look for the pick that says Show "Recent Files" Workspace When Opening A File. Click inside its checkbox to enable it:

Selecting 'Prove "Contempo Files" Workspace When Opening A File'.

You'll need to quit and relaunch Photoshop for the change to take result. To quit Photoshop, on a Windows PC, go up to the File menu and choose Leave. On a Mac, get up to the File bill of fare and choose Quit Photoshop CC:

Go to File > Get out (Win) / File > Quit Photoshop CC (Mac).

And so, relaunch Photoshop the same fashion you lot normally would. Things won't look any different at first. Hither, we see that I'm over again presented with the Start screen, just equally I was before. I'll reselect the aforementioned paradigm to open by clicking on its thumbnail in the Recent Files list:

Selecting the aforementioned image as last time.

And hither nosotros meet that the epitome has opened in one case again:

The first paradigm re-opens.

The Recent Files Panel

At present that I've enabled the Recent Files workspace, how tin I view my recent files not as a name-but list just as thumbnails?

With the Recent Files workspace enabled, instead of viewing our recent files by going upward to the File menu and choosing Open up Contempo similar nosotros did a moment ago, this time go up to the File menu and choose Open up. Or, use the keyboard shortcut, Ctrl+0 (Win) / Command+0 (Mac):

Going to File > Open.

As you exercise, keep an eye on the panels forth the correct of Photoshop's interface. I've dimmed the rest of the interface to make the panel surface area easier to run into:

Lookout the panels forth the correct.

Commonly when we choose the Open command, it opens File Explorer on a Windows PC or Finder on a Mac, which we and then utilise to navigate to the image we want to open up. But when we choose the Open command with the Contempo Files workspace enabled, all of the panels along the right disappear and are replaced with the Recent Files panel:

The Contempo Files panel appears in place of Photoshop's other panels.

The Recent Files console is essentially a mini Start screen, giving u.s.a. quick access to most of the same options nosotros'd find on the bodily Get-go screen. Along the top, nosotros accept a New... push button for creating new Photoshop documents, and an Open... button for opening images that are not found in our Contempo Files listing:

The Contempo Files panel includes the same New... and Open... buttons from the Get-go screen.

At that place'due south even a tile along the bottom with content that changes over time, offering tutorials or downloadable assets, just like the tiles we find on the principal Start screen. Clicking the tile will open your spider web browser and take you to Adobe's website where y'all'll find more information on the topic:

Both the Start screen and the Recent Files panel include tiles with dynamically-changing content.

But the main characteristic of the Recent Files panel is that information technology displays our recent files every bit thumbnails, merely like nosotros find on the actual Start screen. Depending on how many recent files you have, you may demand to scroll through them. To re-open up a file, just click on its thumbnail:

Selecting an image to re-open in the Contempo Files console.

And here, nosotros see that my selected image opens in Photoshop:

The second image opens. © Steve Patterson.

Notice that as soon as the epitome opens, the Contempo Files panel disappears and Photoshop's original panels return:

The Recent Files panel closes when the selected image opens.

Notice likewise that because I didn't need to close my original image to get to the Contempo Files panel, I at present have both images open at the same time, each in its ain certificate. To switch back to my first image, all I need to practice is click on its tab above the documents:

Switch between open documents past clicking the tabs.

And now the first epitome I opened re-appears:

Back to viewing the original image.

How To Turn Off The Contempo Files Panel

Fifty-fifty though the Recent Files workspace in Photoshop CC is disabled past default, information technology can actually be very useful, especially if you need to re-open recent files on a regular basis. Simply if you lot want to plough information technology off, simply press Ctrl+K (Win) / Control+K (Mac) on your keyboard to rapidly return to Photoshop's General Preferences.

Then, uncheck the same Evidence "Contempo Files" Workspace When Opening A File option to disable information technology. Y'all'll again need to quit and relaunch Photoshop for the alter to accept effect:

Uncheck the 'Evidence "Recent Files" Workspace When Opening A File' selection to turn it off.

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