Why Does Windows 11 Show Recommended Apps In The Start Menu

Understanding the 🪟 Windows 11 Start Menu Layout

Understanding the Windows 11 start menu ⊞ layout helps you see why the screen is split into two main areas. The top half shows your pinned apps for quick access, while the bottom half displays recommended items like recent files and new programs chosen by Windows.

The Pinned section in the Windows 11 Start menu ⊞ is entirely under your control. You can add, remove, and rearrange your favorite programs in the Pinned section so your programs are always one click away. The Recommended section in the Start menu, however, is dynamic and updates automatically based on your daily computer activity. Windows 11 monitors what files you open and what software you download so Windows 11 can display shortcuts to these items in the Recommended section.

The recommended apps section in the Windows 11 Start menu ⊞ aims to make your computer feel smart and personalized, but it often feels more like clutter than assistance. Understanding that the recommended apps section relies entirely on your recent file and app history makes it much easier to manage and clean up.

Why Does 🪟 Windows 11 Show Recommended Apps and Files?

Windows 11 shows recommended apps and files in the Start menu ⊞ to help you quickly jump back to things you recently opened or downloaded. The system tracks your daily activity and highlights new programs, frequent files, and cloud documents right where you can see them.

• Recently installed apps: Whenever you download a new program from the Microsoft Store or install software from the web, Windows highlights it in the Start menu so you can easily find your new tool.
• Recently opened files: Documents, spreadsheets, photos, and PDFs that you open via apps like Microsoft Word or Adobe Reader often appear here for quick reopening.
• Frequently used applications: Programs that you open often but have not explicitly pinned to your top grid may occasionally surface here.
• Cloud suggestions: If you sign into your computer with a Microsoft account, cloud-based documents from services like OneDrive may also show up.
• Promotional content: Occasionally, Microsoft uses this space to suggest apps or features available in the Microsoft Store.

While Windows 11 recommended apps aim to keep your workflow smooth, Windows 11 recommended apps can easily overwhelm your screen. If you prefer a clean, minimal Start menu, you have several straightforward options to remove or hide Windows 11 recommended apps.

How to Clear and Hide the Recommended Section

You do not have to live with a cluttered Start menu. Windows 11 includes settings that let you turn off recommendations, hide recent files, and stop new app notifications from taking up your precious screen space.

Method 1Manually Remove Individual Items

Manual removal of individual items lets you clear specific files or apps from the Windows 11 Start menu without turning off the whole feature. This trick works best when you want to keep most recommendations but need to hide a few private or unwanted things.

1. Press the Windows key on your keyboard to open the Start menu.
2. Locate the file, folder, or app inside the Recommended section that you want to remove.
3. Right-click on that specific item.
4. Click on Remove from list or Hide from this list.

When you remove a recommended app from the Windows 11 Start Menu, that specific app item instantly disappears from the list. Keep in mind that this action only removes that specific instance of the recommendation; if you open the file or app again later, the recommendation might pop back up in your Start Menu.

Method 2Clear and Customize via Settings

Clearing and customizing recommendations through the Windows 11 settings app is the easiest way to stop the Start menu from showing recent files and new apps. You can turn off these tracking features completely with just a few quick clicks in your personalization menu.

1. Open the Start menu and click on the Settings app (the gear icon). Alternatively, press the Windows key + I on your keyboard.

   

2. Click on Personalization on the left-hand menu.

   

3. Scroll down and click on Start on the right side of the screen.
4. Toggle off the switches for features such as Show recently added apps, Show most used apps, and Show recently opened items in Start, Jump Lists, and File Explorer.

Turning these switches off drastically reduces the clutter in your Start menu, leaving you with a much simpler and more private viewing experience.

Method 3Clear Recent Items via File Explorer

Clearing recent items via File Explorer is a helpful trick when stubborn files refuse to leave your Windows 11 Start menu recommendations. Wiping your File Explorer history removes the underlying data that keeps these old files showing up on your screen.

1. Open File Explorer by clicking its icon on your taskbar or pressing the Windows key + E.

   

2. Click on the three horizontal dots (...) in the top command bar to open the menu, then click Options.
3. In the Folder Options window that appears, stay on the General tab.
4. Look for the Privacy section near the bottom and click the Clear button next to "Clear File Explorer history."
5. Click Apply and then OK.

Advanced Methods: Using the Registry Editor

Advanced methods using the registry editor let you change how the Windows 11 Start menu looks when regular settings are not enough. You can edit system values directly to take full control over your recommended items, though you should always follow steps carefully since this area controls core computer settings.

Instead of importing unknown files or running complicated scripts, you can make these changes directly through the graphical user interface of the Registry Editor.

How to Disable Start Menu Recommendations via Registry GUI

1. Press the Windows key, type regedit into the search bar, and click on Registry Editor. Click Yes if a security prompt asks for permission to make changes to your device.
2. Open the Start menu and type Settings in the search bar, then open the app. Click on System, then Storage, or use the Start menu personalization settings as shown in Method 2 to find your preferences. Alternatively, you can open your main settings menu, click on Personalization, and select Start to toggle off individual display options.
3. To use the Registry Editor app directly, open your start menu search, type Registry Editor, and open it. Use the left-hand folder tree to expand HKEY_CURRENT_USER, then Software, Microsoft, Windows, CurrentVersion, Policies, and click on Explorer.
4. If you do not see the Explorer folder under Policies, right-click on Policies, select New, click Key, and name it Explorer.
5. Right-click an empty space in the right pane, select New, and click DWORD (32-bit) Value.
6. Name this new value NoRecentDocsMenu.
7. Double-click NoRecentDocsMenu, change the "Value data" box from 0 to 1, and click OK.
8. Restart your computer for the changes to take full effect.

Enforce a Cleaner Start Menu Layout Using Group Policy

Enforcing a cleaner start menu layout using group policy is a great way to lock down computer settings for multiple users or shared devices. You can use the built-in policy editor to block recommendations entirely across Windows Pro, Enterprise, and Education editions.

1. Press the Windows key + R on your keyboard to open the Run dialog box.

   

2. Type gpedit.msc into the box and press Enter to open the Group Policy Editor.
3. Use the left-hand navigation pane to open User Configuration, then Administrative Templates, then Start Menu and Taskbar.
4. Scroll through the settings on the right side to find policies related to removing recent documents or hiding recommended items.
5. Double-click the policy you want to change, select Enabled, and click Apply followed by OK.

Summary

The recommended section in the Windows 11 Start menu shows your recent files and new apps to help you work faster, but it can also clutter your screen. You can easily hide or clear these items by changing your system settings, clearing file history, or removing individual files one by one.