How to Delete Windows Media Player History
By Chris Yokum
Watching videos and listening to songs in Windows Media Player are fun for many computer users. Although this application is useful, it can sometimes reveal unwanted information such as your personal playlist or previously watched videos. To prevent others from knowing what you're listening to or viewing, you'll need to take some steps. With a few suggestions, you'll learn how to delete Windows Media Player history.
Clear History Through the Classic Menu
Open Windows Media Player on your current computer system. Once the application fully opens, there will be several menu items listed at the top. A few examples of the choices you'll have include "File," "View," "Play" and "Tools." As you click onto each one of these options, a drop-down list with more choices will immediately appear for you to browse through. If you don't see these menu items listed in Windows Media Player, right click an empty space next to the right or left arrow at the top. Place a check next to "Show Classic Menus" to make the items appear.
Click the "Tools" link and view the drop-down options listed. From this displayed list, click the "Options" link to continue. A pop-up box will quickly appear with more choices. There will be several tabs with multiple settings on each one. Examples of some of the tabs include "Player," "Library," "Plug-ins" and "Privacy." Select the "Privacy" tab to begin deleting the Windows Media Player history.
Look at the sections located on this tab and navigate toward the bottom area. In the "History" section, uncheck the "Save File and URL History in the Player" if there's a check already there. This function allows your complete history of previously played media to be stored and viewed.
Click the "Clear History" button located to the right of this area. It will immediately clear your media playing history from Windows Media Player. To further get rid of more media information, press the "Clear Caches" button to delete the caches of your CDs or other devices. Press the "OK" button to close the "Options" dialogue box and finish the recent changes you've made to Windows Media Player.
Clear History Through "More Options"
Clear the history of recently played files from Windows Media Player by clicking the arrow underneath "Now Playing." A drop-down list of commands will quickly display after doing this. Choose the "More Options" link to gain access to more settings in the application.
Select the "Privacy" tab listed in the pop-up box to begin deleting previously played media files. This tab will be divided into several sections for your privacy settings. You'll be able to specify privacy settings, enhance content, offer customer feedback and change your history settings.
Click the "Clear History" button located in the "History" section to delete information. Depending on how much data has been stored, it may take a few minutes to successfully complete the process. Each saved file or URL will be erased from the Windows Media Player and no longer accessible.
Press the "Clear Caches" button to also get rid of stored information from CDs or other devices. When finished, click the "OK" button to exit the "Options" dialogue box. All of your new changes will take effect in Windows Media Player.
References
Tips
- Always clear your Windows Media Player history to free up space on your computer's hard drive.
Writer Bio
Chris Yokum has been writing for various websites for several years. Some of her favorite topics include computers, gadgets, personal finance and technology. She also enjoys researching and learning about new topics on a daily basis. Sharing knowledge with others helps Yokum fulfill her goals as a writer.