How to Show or Hide Recently Opened Items in Windows 11

Managing Recent Items via Settings

The Settings ⚙️ app is the simplest method, and it works on every edition of Windows 11, Home included. One switch controls whether recent files and folders appear in Start, in app jump lists and in File Explorer 📁. You don’t need a restart, and you can reverse the change at any time with the same switch.

With the switch off, your workspace stays focused on what you are doing now. With it on, you get quick links back to what you opened recently.

1. Open the Settings app by pressing Win+I, or by searching for it in the Start menu. The Settings ⚙️ window opens with the categories listed on the left.

2. In the Settings app, click Personalization on the left side. The personalization options, such as Background, Colors and Themes, appear on the right.

3. On the right side, click the Start tile. The page that opens holds the Start menu ⊞ options, including the layout and the recent items settings.

4. Find the switch labeled Show recently opened items in Start, Jump Lists, and File Explorer 📁.
5. Set the switch to On to show recent items, or to Off to hide them. The change applies right away. Open the Start menu ⊞ or a File Explorer 📁 window to check.

If the switch is greyed out, or you see a note that some settings are managed by your organization, a policy is controlling it. Check the Registry Editor and Group Policy sections below, because a policy overrides this switch.

Troubleshooting: Why are my recent files not showing up in 🪟 Windows 11?

When recent items go missing in Windows 11, the usual cause is that tracking is switched off, either in Settings or by a policy. A damaged activity history can also be the cause. Work through the checks below in order.

1. Open Settings › Personalization › Start and make sure Show recently opened items in Start, Jump Lists, and File Explorer is set to On.
2. If the switch is off and you can't change it, check whether a registry value or Group Policy setting from the sections below is forcing it off.
3. If the switch is on but the list is still empty or looks wrong, clear the activity history so Windows starts tracking again. Open Settings › Privacy & security › Activity history and click Clear.

If you don't see it, the first two checks are the ones that matter. Clearing the history removes the existing list, so expect to rebuild it as you open files again.

Advanced Control: Registry Editor and PowerShell

Editing the Windows Registry, a central database for low-level system settings, calls for care, because a wrong change can make the system unstable. Before you touch it, back up what you are about to change. In the Registry Editor, select the key and use File › Export to save a copy you can import later.

Using Registry Editor

The Registry Editor gives you manual control over recent documents. You change one registry value, and Windows stops saving your file history. This works on all editions, including Windows 11 Home, where Group Policy isn't available.

To force this setting:

1. Press Windows key + R, type regedit and press Enter. Click Yes if User Account Control asks for permission. The Registry Editor opens.
2. Navigate to: HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer. You can paste the path into the address bar at the top of the window.
3. If the NoRecentDocsHistory key doesn't exist, right-click Explorer, select New › DWORD (32-bit) Value, and name it NoRecentDocsHistory. The new value appears in the right pane. Type the name exactly as shown.
4. Double-click NoRecentDocsHistory and set its value to 1 to hide recent items, or 0 to show them. Click OK.
5. Sign out and back in, or restart the PC, so Explorer picks up the change.

To undo it, set the value back to 0, or delete the value you created. If the Settings switch is greyed out afterwards, this value is the reason.

Using PowerShell

Using PowerShell

PowerShell makes the same registry change from the command line. It is quicker if you manage several PCs or prefer to skip the Registry Editor.

1. Right-click the Start button and choose Terminal (Admin), or search for PowerShell and select Run as administrator. Click Yes if prompted. A PowerShell window opens.
2. Run this command to disable recent items: Set-ItemProperty -Path 'HKCU:\\Software\\Microsoft\\Windows\\CurrentVersion\\Policies\\Explorer' -Name 'NoRecentDocsHistory' -Value 1
3. Sign out and back in so the change takes effect.

This achieves the same result as the registry edit above. To bring recent items back, set the NoRecentDocsHistory value to 0 in the Registry Editor.

Managing Recent Items via Group Policy

Group Policy is a tool for controlling settings across a computer. It lets an administrator turn off file history for every account on the PC from one place. This method works on Windows 11 Pro and Enterprise. Windows 11 Home does not include the Local Group Policy Editor, so Home users should use the Settings or registry method instead.

1. Open the Start menu, search for Edit group policy, and select it. The Local Group Policy Editor opens.

2. In the Local Group Policy Editor, go to: Computer Configuration\Administrative Templates\Start Menu and Taskbar. The policy list appears in the right pane.

3. Find Do not keep a history of recently opened documents and double-click it. A settings window opens.
4. Select Enabled to hide history, Disabled to show it, or Not Configured to stick with the Windows default.
5. Click Apply, then OK.
6. Sign out and back in, or restart the PC, so the policy takes effect.

To undo the change, open the same policy and set it to Not Configured. Once a policy is Enabled, the switch in Settings may be greyed out. That is expected.

Summary

Windows 11 tracks your activity to help you work faster. It shows recent files in places like Jump Lists and the Recommended section of the Start menu. You can turn this on or off in three ways:

• Settings: the easiest option, and it works on every edition.
• Registry Editor or PowerShell: works on every edition, and suits scripting.
• Group Policy: for Pro and Enterprise, and best when you want one setting to cover every account on the PC.

If one method doesn't seem to work, check whether another one is overriding it. A registry value or policy beats the switch in Settings.