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1Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitches2Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errors3Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteWindows 11’s Start menu shows a Recommended section because Microsoft designed it to bring recently added apps, frequently used apps, and recently opened files within one click. Windows can also adjust that list based on the apps you launch. You can hide the recommendation categories, and you can separately stop app-launch tracking from shaping Start and search results.
What the Recommended section contains
Recommended is a section within Start, separate from the apps you have pinned. Microsoft’s Start customization documentation describes its contents as “Recommendations: Recently added and frequently used apps, plus recently opened files.” In practice that means three kinds of items:
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- Recently added apps – apps you have installed recently.
- Frequently used apps – apps Windows sees you opening most often.
- Recently opened files – documents and other files you have recently accessed.
The purpose is quick access. Rather than searching for something you used yesterday, the section surfaces it at the top of Start.
Why Windows personalizes the list
Microsoft’s Windows 11 privacy settings documentation states that “Windows can personalize your Start menu based on the apps that you launch.” Launching an app is therefore one input into which apps appear in Start and in device search, which is how the most-used apps can rise to the top over time.
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Microsoft has not published the complete ranking method. The documentation names the broad sources (recent installs, app launches, and recently opened files) but does not describe how each item is weighted or every factor that affects an individual result. Treat any explanation that points to a single activity as an oversimplification.
How to hide the recommendation categories
You can switch off each category individually. The steps below follow Microsoft’s current Start customization guidance for Windows 11:
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- Open Settings (press Windows key + I).
- Select Personalization, then select Start.
- Turn off Show recently added apps, Show most used apps, and Show recently opened items in Start, Jump Lists, and File Explorer.
The exact labels and which toggles appear depend on your Windows 11 version, so if a label differs, look for the closest match under the same Start page. When every recommendation provider is disabled, or when all items are unpinned, Microsoft says the Recommended section collapses.
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How to stop app-launch tracking
App-launch tracking is controlled separately from the categories above. To turn it off:
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- Open Settings, then select Privacy & security.
- Select Recommendations & offers.
- Turn off Let Windows improve Start and search results by tracking app launches.
Older guides may direct you to the General privacy page instead. Microsoft’s privacy documentation notes that some related settings moved to Recommendations & offers in newer Windows 11 versions, so use that path first and fall back to General only if the setting is not found there.
Choosing the right control
The two controls address related but different parts of Start personalization. Changing one does not change the other.
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| Goal | Where to change it | What it affects |
|---|---|---|
| Hide specific recommendation categories | Settings > Personalization > Start | Whether recently added apps, most used apps, and recently opened items appear in Recommended |
| Stop launch history from shaping Start and search | Settings > Privacy & security > Recommendations & offers | Whether app launches are used to personalize Start and search results |
What this section is not
Recommendations you see when choosing where to get an app are a separate feature. They appear during the app-install flow, not in the Start menu’s Recommended section, so the controls described here do not manage them.
Version and scope notes
Microsoft’s current Start and privacy support articles apply to Windows 11 (some also cover Windows 10). Menu labels and page locations can change between feature updates, so if your screen differs from the steps above, check the Start and Recommendations & offers pages in Settings for your installed version.
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