How to disable Recent file and app recommendations in Start menu on Windows 11

• Windows 11 now lets you disable the “Recent” section from Settings > Personalization > Start.
• The Recent section replaces the former Recommended section and surfaces recent files, installed apps, and recommendations.
• The new setting provides a much simpler way to remove the section without combining multiple settings.
• The change applies to Windows 11 25H2, 26H2, and later releases, as the new Start improvements roll out.

On Windows 11, the Start menu is finally getting a much-needed dose of customization. Starting with the September 2026 Security Update, Microsoft is adding new options that make it much easier to control what appears in the Start experience, including the ability to turn off the “Recent” section and hide file and app recommendations.

The September update introduces several Start menu improvements. I can now resize the Start menu, hide personal information when I don’t want it visible during a presentation, and choose which sections appear in the Start experience.

Related

How to move Taskbar to top or side on Windows 11

How to change Taskbar size on Windows 11

That last change is particularly important if, like me, you prefer a cleaner Start menu without Windows constantly reminding you about the files and apps you’ve recently used.

When Microsoft originally introduced the Start menu on Windows 11, it included a “Recommended” section designed to surface recent files, recently installed apps, and suggested apps from the Microsoft Store. The problem was that there was no straightforward way to get rid of it.

Microsoft eventually added a way to disable the recommendations, but the option wasn’t exactly where I expected it to be. Instead, I had to dig through a separate setting and combine several options to remove the content from Start.

That’s changing with the September 2026 update.

Microsoft has renamed the “Recommended” section to “Recent,” and more importantly, Windows 11 now provides a dedicated option to turn the section off. This makes the setting much easier to find and gives me more direct control over what I see every time I open Start.

If I don’t want recent files, recently installed apps, or other recommendations taking up valuable space in the Start menu, I can now disable the section without relying on a workaround or hunting through unrelated settings.

In this guide, I’ll outline the easy steps to disable the Recent section of the Start menu on Windows 11 25H2, 26H2, and later releases.

Disable Recent section from Start menu on Windows 11

To disable the Recent section in the Start menu, follow these steps:

1. Open Settings on Windows 11.

2. Click on Personalization.

3. Click the Start page on the right side.

4. (Option 1) Turn off the Recent toggle switch.

   

5. (Option 2) Check the options you want to see in the section instead of disabling the section.

   

Once you complete the steps, the Recent (formerly Recommended) section will no longer appear in the Start menu.

If the new Start menu settings aren’t available, it’s likely because Microsoft is gradually rolling out the new improvements in version 25H2. If this is the case, you can use these instructions to enable the new settings arriving with the September 2026 update.