On most Windows 11 installations, open Start > Settings > Personalization > Start, then turn off the specific Recommended-content switch you do not want. Microsoft documents separate controls for recently added apps, most-used apps, and recently opened items; these switches do not universally remove the entire section.
A section-level control is described in Microsoft’s Windows 11 26H1 preview notes, where the section is also renamed Recent. That interface is release-specific, so its availability depends on the Windows build installed on your PC. On a work or school computer, an administrator can hide the section with the HideRecommendedSection policy.
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How to enable or disable Recommended in Windows 11
The ordinary consumer procedure is:
- Open Start.
- Select Settings.
- Choose Personalization, then Start.
- Change the switch for the type of content you want to show or hide.
Microsoft’s current consumer guidance lists three relevant switches on that page: Show recently added apps, Show most used apps, and Show recently opened items in Start, Jump Lists, and File Explorer. The exact options displayed can vary with the Windows release and update state. Microsoft’s accessibility guidance documents this settings route and the switch names (Microsoft Support).
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What the Recommended area contains
The Start menu’s Recommended area is intended to provide quick access to recently opened files, documents and installed apps. It is separate from the pinned area, which you manage through pinned items rather than the Recommended-content switches. Microsoft’s Start-menu navigation guidance describes Recommended as a place for recently used material and applications (Microsoft Support).
Because the standard settings target content categories, disabling one option does not necessarily make every other category disappear. For example, turning off recently added apps does not also turn off recently opened files. Treat each switch as an individual data source for Start and, in the case of recently opened items, related Windows surfaces.
A visible entry can therefore be a clue about which setting matters. A newly installed program points to the recently added apps option; an application that appears because you use it frequently points to most-used apps; and a document or other file shown in Start points to recently opened items. Identifying the type first avoids changing a setting that cannot affect that entry.
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What each Start setting controls
| Setting label | When enabled | When disabled | Where it applies |
|---|---|---|---|
| Show recently added apps | Recently added applications can appear in the Recommended area. | That recently-added-app category is not shown there. | Start’s Recommended content. |
| Show most used apps | Windows can list applications you use most often in the relevant Start content. | The most-used-app category is suppressed. | Start’s Recommended content. |
| Show recently opened items in Start, Jump Lists, and File Explorer | Recently opened files and other items can be surfaced in all three named locations. | Windows stops showing that recent-item category in Start, Jump Lists and File Explorer. | Start, taskbar Jump Lists and File Explorer. |
The wording matters: the third switch is broader than Start alone. If your goal is to stop recent documents from appearing when you right-click a taskbar app or browse File Explorer, that is the switch to change.
The switches are independent rather than a three-way profile. You can leave recently added apps on, turn most-used apps off, and turn recently opened items off. Conversely, turning all three on allows each corresponding category to be eligible for display. The settings describe what Windows may show; they are not a command to pin an item permanently or to remove an installed application.
Hide only the content you do not want
Remove recently added apps from Recommended
In Settings > Personalization > Start, set Show recently added apps to Off. This targets the recently-added-app category without changing the most-used-app or recently-opened-item settings. Leave it On if you rely on Start to find software you installed recently.
This option is useful after setting up a new PC or installing several programs when you do not want the installation history reflected in Start. It does not uninstall anything, remove a shortcut from another location, or hide an application from the All apps list. Its scope is the recently added category in Recommended content.
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Remove the most-used-app list
Set Show most used apps to Off to stop that usage-based category from being displayed. This is useful on a shared PC where you do not want Start to advertise a usage pattern, while still allowing other Recommended content to remain available.
Turning this switch off does not change how often an application can be used and does not prevent you from launching it. It only controls whether the most-used-app category is available in the relevant Start content. If a recently installed app remains visible afterward, that is a different category and requires the recently added apps switch.
Hide recently opened files and documents
Set Show recently opened items in Start, Jump Lists, and File Explorer to Off. This is the relevant choice when the concern is document or file history rather than application suggestions. Since the label names three surfaces, expect the change to affect each of them, not only the Start menu.
This is the broadest consumer option in the list because it explicitly names Start, taskbar Jump Lists and File Explorer. It is the appropriate setting when a recent document appears after right-clicking an application on the taskbar as well as when a similar item appears in Start. It does not hide recently added applications or most-used applications.
Turn a category back on
Return to the same Start settings page and switch the required option to On. Re-enabling a category makes Windows eligible to show that type of content again; it does not convert the other categories automatically.
If the page uses different wording, match the purpose rather than relying only on position. Look for the phrases recently added apps, most used apps, or recently opened items. Windows can change layout and labels between releases, while the documented purpose of each control remains the useful distinction.
Why the standard switches may not remove the whole section
Microsoft’s documented consumer controls are content-level settings. They let you remove recently added apps, most-used apps or recently opened items independently. They should not be described as a universal “hide Recommended” control for every Windows 11 release. If all three are off, the section may still have its heading or other content depending on the build and the information Windows has available.
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This distinction prevents a common troubleshooting mistake: switching off one item, seeing another type of recommendation remain, and assuming the setting failed. Check which category is visible, then change the matching switch rather than repeatedly toggling an unrelated option.
It also explains why the Start menu may look different on two Windows 11 PCs. Update level, edition, and the interface being tested can affect which labels and controls are shown. Compare the text on your own Start settings page with the descriptions above before concluding that a switch is missing or ineffective.
Windows 11 26H1 preview: a separate section-level design
Microsoft’s September 22, 2026 preview notes for Windows 11 26H1 describe a redesigned Start layout with independent controls for Pinned, Recommended and All. The same notes say that “Recommended” is renamed Recent in both the Start menu and the Start settings page. The release notes use the path Settings > Personalize > Start, which differs from the familiar Personalization wording in the current consumer instructions (Microsoft’s September 22, 2026 KB5124006 preview notes).
This is a preview-release description, not proof that every Windows 11 PC already has the new controls. A retail, stable or differently serviced installation may continue to show the older category switches and the Recommended label.
How to interpret the 26H1 variation
- If your Start settings page shows a section-level switch for Recommended, use it to show or hide that section independently of Pinned and All.
- If the page calls the area Recent, you are seeing the terminology described for the 26H1 preview.
- If neither the section-level switch nor the Recent label appears, follow the category-level controls documented for your installed build instead of trying to force the preview layout.
The three independent section controls change the layout choices available to you; they do not change the fact that Windows versions can expose different labels and settings. Always follow the labels actually displayed on your machine.
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One free scan finds every outdated or missing driver and matches the right update for your exact hardware.Free scan · exact hardware matchDo not confuse the preview’s section-level switch with the older three switches. In the older interface, turning off recently opened items addresses one content category, not necessarily the entire Recommended area. In the preview design, the section control is intended to address the section itself, while Pinned and All can be shown or hidden independently. That is why the same question—“How do I turn off Recommended?”—can have different answers on two builds.
When the setting or label is missing
You see only the three content switches
That normally indicates the interface documented in Microsoft’s current consumer support material rather than the 26H1 preview design. Use the switch corresponding to the content you want to remove. Do not expect a whole-section toggle unless your build supplies one.
You expected “Recent” but still see “Recommended”
The Recent rename is tied to the Windows 11 26H1 preview notes. A PC that still says Recommended is not necessarily malfunctioning; it may be running another release or an update level that does not include the preview change.
A switch changes Start but not another surface
Check the wording of the option. The recently opened-items switch explicitly covers Start, Jump Lists and File Explorer. The recently added-apps and most-used-apps switches describe Start content. A mismatch between the surface you are checking and the switch you changed can make a successful change look ineffective.
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A managed computer will not let you change the section
Organization policy can control whether recommended files and apps appear. If a work or school device continually restores a setting or omits the control, contact the administrator rather than attempting to bypass management.
The category is gone, but another item remains
Recheck the remaining item’s type. A newly installed app and a recently opened document are governed by different switches. Turn off the matching category, or, if your build exposes it, use the 26H1 section-level control. Avoid assuming that the presence of one remaining item means every switch was ignored.
You cannot find Personalization
Open Settings from Start and use the visible category list to locate Personalization. The supported route begins with the Settings app; the exact page presentation can vary by release. If a device administrator has restricted Settings, the missing control is a management issue rather than a reason to edit system files.
Hide Recommended on managed Windows 11 devices
Administrators have a separate policy named HideRecommendedSection. Microsoft’s Policy CSP documentation says the setting prevents the Start menu from displaying a list of recommended applications and files (Microsoft Learn, Policy CSP – Start).
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This is an administrative control, not an extra consumer checkbox. A device policy can hide recommended files and apps consistently for the managed scope. If a user setting appears unavailable or keeps being restored, the administrator should check whether this policy is intentional before changing other settings.
Group Policy mapping
In environments using Group Policy, the documented mapping is:
- Computer Configuration > Administrative Templates > Start Menu and Taskbar > Remove Recommended section from Start Menu
- User Configuration > Administrative Templates > Start Menu and Taskbar > Remove Recommended section from Start Menu
Enabling the mapped policy hides the section containing recommended files and apps. Which scope to use depends on whether the organization wants the result for the computer or for the targeted user configuration.
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What ordinary users should do
Do not edit the registry or attempt to override an organization-managed setting as a normal troubleshooting step. The supported consumer route is the Start settings page. If policy controls the device, ask the administrator whether the section is intentionally hidden and whether the relevant policy can be changed.
Choosing the right approach
| Your goal | Use this control | Scope of the result |
|---|---|---|
| Stop newly installed apps appearing in Recommended | Show recently added apps set to Off | Recently added applications in Start. |
| Stop usage-based app suggestions | Show most used apps set to Off | Most-used applications in Start. |
| Stop recent documents appearing across Windows surfaces | Show recently opened items in Start, Jump Lists, and File Explorer set to Off | Recent items in the three surfaces named by the setting. |
| Hide the entire section on a supported preview build | The section-level Recommended or Recent control described for Windows 11 26H1 | The selected Start section, independently of Pinned and All. |
| Enforce the choice for an organization | HideRecommendedSection through the documented management path | Recommended files and apps on supported managed editions. |
For a personal computer, start with the narrowest control that solves the problem. It preserves useful shortcuts while removing only the category you consider distracting or sensitive. Use a section-level option when your installed 26H1 interface provides one and you genuinely want the whole area hidden.
For a shared workplace or classroom computer, administrators may prefer the policy because it produces the same result for the selected device or user scope. The policy’s documented support applies to Windows 11 22H2 and later Pro, Enterprise, Education and IoT Enterprise editions; consumer availability should not be inferred from that list.
Privacy and usability trade-offs
Showing Recommended can save time: recently opened documents and newly installed applications are easier to reach without searching. The trade-off is visibility. Other people using the same account or viewing the Start menu may see those suggestions, and recent-item information can also appear in Jump Lists and File Explorer when that category is enabled.
Hiding only the sensitive category is often more practical than suppressing everything. For example, you can leave recently added apps enabled while turning off recently opened items, or disable most-used apps while keeping recent documents available. The three consumer switches are designed for that selective approach.
On a shared or managed computer, a section-level policy may be preferable because it gives administrators a consistent layout. On a personal PC, category-level switches preserve more of the Start menu’s convenience while removing the specific information you do not want displayed.
These settings control visibility in the named Windows surfaces. They are not a promise that an application is removed, that a document is deleted, or that an organization’s other activity records are erased. For a privacy decision, distinguish hiding a shortcut from deleting the underlying file or app.
Checklist before and after changing the setting
- Identify whether the visible entry is a recently added app, a most-used app or a recently opened item.
- Open the Start settings page and change only the matching switch.
- Check the Start menu again after the change.
- If the item is a recent file, also check the relevant Jump List and File Explorer behavior because the named setting covers all three surfaces.
- If you expected a whole-section control, check whether your Windows build uses the 26H1 preview interface and the Recent label.
- If the device is owned or managed by an organization, verify whether HideRecommendedSection is enforcing the result.
- Record the exact label you see before asking for help; “Recommended” and “Recent” identify different interface generations in the documented guidance.
- Do not change unrelated pinned items when your goal concerns Recommended content.
Frequently asked questions
How do I turn off Recommended in the Windows 11 Start menu?
On releases with the standard consumer interface, open Start > Settings > Personalization > Start and turn off the relevant content switches. Those controls target recently added apps, most-used apps and recently opened items separately. A whole-section switch is described only for the Windows 11 26H1 preview design, where the area is called Recent.
How do I show recently opened items in Start?
Open the same Start settings page and turn Show recently opened items in Start, Jump Lists, and File Explorer On. Because the label names three surfaces, the setting makes that category eligible across Start, taskbar Jump Lists and File Explorer.
Will turning off recently added apps uninstall those apps?
No. The switch controls whether the recently added-app category appears in Recommended content. It does not remove the installed application or change the All apps list.
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Why do I still see Recommended after turning off one option?
Each standard switch controls a different category. Turning off recently added apps does not turn off most-used apps or recently opened items. Identify the content that remains and change its matching switch, or use the section-level control if your build provides the 26H1 interface.
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Why is my section called Recent?
Microsoft’s September 22, 2026 Windows 11 26H1 preview notes describe renaming Recommended to Recent in Start and on the Start settings page. PCs on another release or update level may continue to use Recommended.
Can I hide Recommended with a registry tweak?
The supported consumer instructions use the Start settings page. For managed devices, administrators can use HideRecommendedSection through the documented CSP or its Group Policy mapping. Registry editing is not the recommended route for ordinary users.
Does the policy work on every Windows 11 edition?
Microsoft documents HideRecommendedSection for Windows 11 22H2 and later on Pro, Enterprise, Education and IoT Enterprise editions, with device and user scope through CSP. Check the device’s edition and management configuration before planning a deployment.
Can I hide only recent documents but keep app suggestions?
Yes. Turn off Show recently opened items in Start, Jump Lists, and File Explorer while leaving the recently added-apps and most-used-apps switches on. The independent controls are intended for this selective setup.
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Key points to remember
For most Windows 11 users, Recommended is managed from Start > Settings > Personalization > Start, one content category at a time. The 26H1 preview notes describe a newer, section-level design and rename the area Recent, but that design is version-scoped. Managed Windows installations can hide the section through the documented policy instead of relying on personal settings.
Choose the control that matches the content you want to hide, check all named surfaces when dealing with recent items, and verify the labels on your own Windows build. That approach avoids confusing a category switch with a whole-section control and avoids changing settings that cannot affect the item you are trying to remove.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I turn off Recommended in the Windows 11 Start menu?
Open Start > Settings > Personalization > Start and turn off the switch for the content category you want to hide. A whole-section control is described for the Windows 11 26H1 preview interface, where the area is called Recent.
How do I show recently opened items in Start?
Turn on Show recently opened items in Start, Jump Lists, and File Explorer on the Start settings page. The option applies to all three named Windows surfaces.
Will turning off recently added apps uninstall them?
No. It only hides the recently added-app category from Recommended content; installed apps remain available.
Why do I still see Recommended after disabling one switch?
The standard switches control separate categories. Identify whether the remaining entry is a recently added app, most-used app or recently opened item, then change the matching switch.
Why does my Start menu say Recent instead of Recommended?
Microsoft’s September 22, 2026 Windows 11 26H1 preview notes describe that rename. Other Windows releases may still display Recommended.
Can I hide recent documents but keep app suggestions?
Yes. Turn off the recently opened-items switch and leave the recently added-apps and most-used-apps switches enabled.
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The Bottom Line
Use Start > Settings > Personalization > Start to enable or disable Recommended content by category. The Windows 11 26H1 preview adds a version-specific section-level control and renames the area Recent, while managed Pro, Enterprise, Education and IoT Enterprise devices can use HideRecommendedSection.
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