How to hide Recommended items in Windows 11's Start Menu
Microsoft's upcoming Windows 11 operating system changes the Start menu drastically in some areas, but keeps other features as they have been in previous versions of Windows.
If you take a look at the Windows 11 Start Menu, you see a list of apps and links displayed at the top. Some of these are pinned, others are added automatically by Windows 11.
Below that is the Recommended section. It displays recently added apps and recently opened files, but may also be used by Microsoft to display recommendations to the user.
In fact, on a brand new Windows 11 system, you may see the "Get Started" recommendation in the section.
Some Windows users may find these recommendations useful, others don't. Just like on Windows 10, it is possible to disable the Recommended section on Windows 11 to hide the section in the Start Menu.
Microsoft kept the options in the Settings application under Personalization. On Windows 10, you find the options under Settings > Personalization > Start.
There you may disable the following content:
- Show recently added apps.
- Show the most used apps.
- Show suggestions occasionally in Start.
- Show recently opened items in Jump Lists on Start or the taskbar and in the File Explorer Quick Access.
Disable Recommended items in the Start Menu
- Select Start > Settings > Personalization > Start.
- Look for Show recently added apps and turn it off.
- Look for Show most used apps and set it to off.
- Look for Show recently opened items in Start Jump List and File Explorer and turn it off.
Changes take effect immediately. Just open Start, while Settings remains open, to test the change. Note that Recommended is still displayed, but you should not see any content anymore under the section once you have made the change. Unfortunately, there is no option to hide the section entirely to use it for something else.
You may disable some of the options only, e.g. if you are interested in getting a list of recently installed applications, then you may keep that option enabled while disabling the other options.
Just toggle the preferences again if you want to restore one or all of the listings in the Start Menu.
Closing Words
The Windows 11 start menu lacks customization options, even more so than the Windows 10 Start Menu. Some users may use the recommended section actively, others, who may not use it at all, are stuck with it nevertheless. While it is possible to hide the items of the section, it is not possible to hide it entirely to make room for more apps or links in the Start Menu.
Now You: do you use the recent files / apps section of the Start Menu?
There is not still W11 23H2 and these instructions are nonsense by now. :[
It worked for me just fine. You’re probably not following the instructions clearly.
Just tried the password option and the OOBE option and didnt work.
Worked perfectly. Thank OP.
Worked perfectly for me just now. Specifically, the regedit option.
Is this cut and paste from a Microsoft PR paper, because it 1000% BS:
“By listening to user insights, Microsoft has demonstrated its commitment to refining the Windows experience based on real-world needs.”
Windows 11 is proof they don’t give a s*it.
Worked for me just now
I agree! Windows 11 was a downgrade to me and I kept all 8 computers in our family on Windows 10 as a result. They didn’t listen to any customers. The taskbar was THE main reason I stayed away from Windows 11. With 6 monitors, it is impossible to navigate so many browser tabs, without the feature. I will try the new version in the virtual box to see if it is worth it yet.
Microsoft did a terrible job with this implementation.
They simply need to employ the creator of StartAllBack to fix Windows. He is smarter and more talented than the entire campus of Microsoft employees.
lol
Thank you so much! I work in IT and this is extremely useful information!
Thanks man. The second method worked great!
I used the second method, and i got exactly what i expected.
Using the Bypass 2: Use a banned email address email worked fantastically as I had gone to far to use the bypass 1.
I will be back when I next have a problem.
Keep you the great work
W11 File Explorer is the worst crap ever done. W11 is the biggest shame ever.
Just one more reason for me to go to Linux when Windows 10 ages out.
@ MarineRecon,
Be careful which Linux distro you choose. Some of them don’t include the Wayland protocol which is a security issue i.e. apps can copy, paste and inject data without user interaction.
It’s included in Fedora: https://docs.fedoraproject.org/en-US/fedora/latest/system-administrators-guide/Wayland/
How about a DARK MODE for your website? That would be oh so nice.
Something like this : [https://img.justpaste.me/image/8617] maybe?
Done with ‘Dark Reader Extension for ? Firefox’ [https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/darkreader/]
This comment was written on [https://www.ghacks.net/windows-11-installation-has-failed-how-to-fix-this-upgrade-error/#comment-4573155}
Definitely NOT! Once you get older and your eyesight starts to fail you’ll positively loathe dark mode.
Not sure what eye problems *you’re* having, but for me the exact opposite is true. Dark Mode is MUCH easier on my Eyes.
BTW- I’m 52, and have worked in IT all my life. Been staring at monitors for hours each day, most days of the week since the late 1980’s.
Microsoft completely ruined File Explorer by converting to XAML/WinUI/whatever new bloated modern garbage. Its worse than it ever was.
i tested it on win10 current edition. speeds up explorer like a charm
SO what is the priority numbers to give preference to ethernet over wireless?
Worked very well happy to have Windows Photo Viewer back in action in Windows-11
Worked for me (registry option) thank god, I can use the search option to find things on my computer again. Thank you so much!
Install Everything Search and dispense with Microsoft’s crappy search tool. https://www.voidtools.com/
Martin wrote an article on it: https://www.ghacks.net/2020/10/09/add-everything-search-to-the-windows-taskbar-for-even-faster-searches/
I presume the text “WindowsCopilot,,” is a typographical error (2023/09/17/how-to-disable-windows-copilot-in-windows/). The broken comment system unfortunately looks like it is populating itself via AI autopilot.
Hopefully, this Windows Copilot nonsense fails even more spectacularly than Cortana. Who requested this? We want all of the UX features removed back in 11, not this copilot nonsense.
I really don’t mind all of these Windows enhancement but Microsoft get one thing very wrong. ‘Opt in’, is far better than seek information and work to disable.
Turn off Windows Copilot entirely is not good enough.
How to uninstall Copilot entirely ?
@ ilev,
Use Gpedit or the registry. Explained in this article: https://www.ghacks.net/2023/09/17/how-to-disable-windows-copilot-in-windows/
With that snake oil salesman Panos gone, hopefully Windows can return to a normal desktop operating system without all the insanity it has right now in Windows 11.
Can we please stop being ‘politically correct’ (lying) and call them ads again instead of ‘suggestions’?
@ Martin,
Does your gpedit hack also turn off all the other “subscribed content” shown in the registry screenshot? Do you happen to know what all those are?