How do I clear or manage the Recents file list in Finder? (Running a Macbook Pro with Mac Monterey.)
The Finder history contains far too many files to be a useful log of "recent" activity. (Files date back to over a year ago, possibly to my purchasing this device.) Aside from that, I am concerned about user privacy and do not wish every file ever opened to be recorded on my device—or worse on iCloud.
How do I change this?
I am concerned about user privacy and do not wish every file ever opened to be recorded on my device—or worse on iCloud.
How do I change this?
You can't stop the file system from marking that a file was modified. That is easily searchable so no way to prevent anyone from knowing what files were worked on.
The metadata that is used to populate the Recents Smart Folder is mostly only set by Finder. If you only open files from within the application, the metadata might not be set. Even if you stop the Last used date metadata from being written, there are many other ways to search the computer for modified files.
Thanks to a more Senior Contributor refer to link below ( Barney-15E )
Clearing the Recents list in Finder - Apple Community
“Recents” is actually a small embedded application. It is similar to a Smart Folder but the user has no control over it.
It shows way too many files to be useful.
Take control and create your own Smart Folders, with the criteria that are meaningful to you. Instead of a bucketload of files, you can have user defined Smart Folders. Need pdf from this week? All picture files from last January, with at least 3000 pixels width? Or any Boolean combination of criteria, and named sensibly, and always available. Smart Folders are incredibly flexible and powerful, and vastly underused and ignored.
Macbook Finder Recents
