How to Add or Remove Pinned Section on Start Menu in Windows 11

The Pinned section is the block of app icons at the top of the Windows 11 Start menu. It holds the apps you chose to keep within reach, so you can launch them without searching or opening the full app list. On the standard Start menu size you normally see 12 pinned apps. If you expand the view, you can see up to 18.

Not everyone wants that block taking up space. Windows 11 updates starting with build 26300.8553 let you hide the Pinned section. The area it occupied is then used to show more items in the Recent section (formerly Recommended). If you rely on a short list of apps, keep it. If you mostly use search or the Recent list (formerly Recommended), hiding it gives you a cleaner menu.

Before you start, keep these points in mind:

• Build number matters. The option to hide the Pinned section only exists in build 26300.8553 or later. If you have an older build, you won’t see it. Check your build on the About page in Settings, then run Windows Update if you are behind.
• Rollouts can be gradual. Microsoft often enables new Start menu options in stages, so a machine on the right build may not show the option right away.
• The Settings page can look different between builds. Microsoft is rolling out separate toggles to show or hide the Pinned, Recent and All sections in Start. Depending on your build, you may see one switch for Pinned or a full set of section toggles. The Recent section also appears as Recommended on older builds.
• The change is reversible. Turning the section on or off takes a few clicks in the Start settings (Settings › Personalization › Start), and you can reverse it the same way at any time. This works instantly in Settings without a restart. If the Start menu doesn’t update, sign out and back in.

To confirm your build before you begin, follow these steps:

1. Open Settings › System › About.
2. Find the OS build line under Windows specifications. The number should be 26300.8553 or higher.
3. If it is lower, open Settings › Windows Update🔃 and select Check for updates🔃. Install what it finds, then restart if asked.

That’s it. You now know whether your PC has the build that offers the Pinned section option.

The Start menu size also changes how many pinned apps you see, so the 12 and 18 figures above depend on it. Recent updates, such as the optional preview update KB5120998 for Windows 11 24H2 and 25H2, add a Start menu size setting. Find it at Settings › Personalization › Start. The choices are Automatic (the default), Small and Large. If you don’t see it, your build doesn’t have it yet.

Changing a registry value instead of using Settings can cause problems that are hard to undo if you edit the wrong entry. Before you touch the registry, create a System Restore point (a saved snapshot of system files and settings that you can roll back to). Alternatively, export the key you plan to change from Registry Editor with File › Export. Do one of these first.

1. Select Start, type Create a restore point, and open the result. The System Properties window opens on the System Protection tab.
2. Select your system drive. If protection shows as Off, select Configure, choose Turn on system protection, and select OK.
3. Select Create, type a name such as “Before Start menu⊞ change”, and select Create again.
4. Wait for the message that the restore point was created, then select Close.

You should now have a restore point to roll back to if a registry edit goes wrong. The steps below show where to find the setting and how to switch the Pinned section on or off.

Option 1Add or Remove Pinned Section using Settings

Managing your windows 11 pinned section takes only a few clicks inside the main settings app. You can turn this area on or off by going to the personalization menu and changing your layout preferences. This hides or shows your app grid instantly in Settings without needing to restart your computer.

1. Open Settings. You can do this by pressing the Win+I on your keyboard.
2. On the left side, click Personalization. Then, on the right side, click Start.
3. Look for Layout options. You will see a toggle for Pinned.
4. Turn the toggle On to add the Pinned section. Turn it Off to remove it (this is the default).
5. You can now close the Settings⚙️ window.