How to Automatically Clear the ‘Run’ Dialog Box History in Windows 11

The Windows Run dialog box (accessed by pressing Win + R) is a cornerstone of power-user productivity. It allows you to instantly launch the Registry Editor (regedit), access hidden AppData folders, or execute specific IP configuration commands without navigating through menus.

However, the Run box has a massive privacy flaw: it permanently remembers every single command you have ever typed into it. If you are sharing a computer with a coworker or family member, anyone who presses Win + R will instantly see a dropdown list of your most private file paths, administrative commands, and hidden directory names.

While you could theoretically delete these entries one-by-one in the Registry, it is far more secure to configure Windows 11 to automatically nuke the Run history every single time you use it.

Step 1: Open the Privacy Settings

The Run history is actually tied to the global Windows “Activity History” engine, which tracks your behavior across the entire operating system.

1. Press the Windows Key + I on your keyboard to open the Settings app.
2. In the left-hand navigation pane, click on Privacy & security.
3. Look under the “Windows permissions” section and click on General.

Step 2: Disable the Launch Tracking

You will see a series of four toggle switches on this page.

1. Look for the setting labeled: “Let Windows improve Start and search results by tracking app launches”.
2. Click the toggle switch to turn it Off.

This completely severs the link between your keyboard and the tracking database. Windows will immediately stop recording new commands into the Run box dropdown.

Step 3: Manually Clear the Existing Ghost History

Turning off the tracking prevents future logging, but it does not delete the commands that are already trapped in the dropdown menu. To completely sanitize the machine, you must wipe the existing cache.

1. Go back to the main Privacy & security menu.
2. Look under the “Windows permissions” section and click on Search permissions.
3. Scroll down to the very bottom of the page until you find the “History” section.
4. You will see a button labeled Clear device search history. Click it.
5. A small checkmark will appear next to the button, confirming the database has been incinerated.

The Result

Press Win + R right now. You will see that the text box is completely empty, and the dropdown arrow is gone. Because you disabled the launch tracking in Step 2, you can type a highly sensitive command, hit Enter, and the very next time you open the Run box, it will be completely empty again.