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Why Does Turning Off Windows 11 Recommendations Create a Terrible Problem with Recent Files?
A new Windows 11 update gives you a way to hide the “Recommended” section in your Start menu. This helps you create a cleaner look with only your pinned and installed apps. You should know, however, that using this feature comes with a significant downside. Turning it off also removes the “Recent files” list in File Explorer and the shortcuts in your taskbar’s jump lists.
How the New Setting Works
The feature is controlled by a single new toggle. You can find it in your settings under Personalization > Start. The toggle is named “Show recommended files in Start, recent files in File Explorer, and items in Jump Lists.” This name shows the problem. It connects three different features to one on/off switch.
This happens because Windows uses one master list to track your recent activity. Several parts of the operating system use this list to show you recent files and apps.
- The Start menu’s “Recommended” section uses this list.
- File Explorer’s “Recent” section uses this list.
- The taskbar’s jump lists, which appear when you right-click an app, also use this list.
When you use the new toggle to hide recommendations in the Start menu, you are not just hiding that one section. You are disabling the entire recent activity list for all features that depend on it. This is why your recent files disappear from File Explorer and other places at the same time.
The Choice You Have to Make
Currently, there is no way to hide only the Recommended section in the Start menu. You cannot keep your recent files list in File Explorer if you use this new setting. Microsoft could have designed this differently, perhaps with a separate toggle or filter just for the Start menu. For now, you must choose between having a clean Start menu or having convenient access to your recent files.
A Note on the Start Menu’s Size
You may also notice that the updated Start menu is much taller. It can take up a large portion of your screen, especially on smaller laptops. Microsoft has said the new menu is adaptive, meaning it shows more apps when it detects more screen space. To make the interface look more consistent, Microsoft is also testing a taller Search panel to match the new Start menu’s height. Many users still wish they could simply resize the Start menu manually, a feature that was available in Windows 10.