Pinned apps are shortcuts you choose and arrange; Recommended is a Windows-populated area for items such as recent files and recently added or frequently used apps. Use pins for dependable access to the things you open regularly, and Recommended when you want Windows to surface recent activity. The label and controls depend on your Windows 11 release: Microsoft’s September 2026 26H1 preview calls the section “Recent,” so check your build and the options actually shown in Settings before following version-specific steps.
What is the difference between Recommended and Pinned?
| What you want to know | Pinned apps | Recommended / Recent |
|---|---|---|
| Who chooses what appears? | You select the apps and shortcuts. | Windows surfaces recent or recommended items using the providers and settings available on your release. |
| Best use | Repeat access to a chosen set of apps, folders, or websites. | Returning to files or apps you have used recently, or finding apps you did not pin. |
| How you control it | Pin, unpin, reorder, and group shortcuts. | Manage available recommendation providers; some newer builds also offer section-visibility controls. |
| How predictable it is | More deliberate and curated, though installs and your own edits can change the arrangement. | Changes with activity, so it is less curated by design. |
| Version sensitivity | The layout and controls can vary by release. | The name and controls can vary. Microsoft’s 26H1 preview notes rename it “Recent.” |
This is a comparison of documented functions and controls, not a measured claim that one approach is faster or more productive. Microsoft describes the Start menu as supporting pinned shortcuts and recommendations in its Customize the Windows Start Menu guidance.
How to pin and organize shortcuts
Microsoft documents pinning apps, folders, and websites. The exact menu wording may differ slightly with your Windows version or app.
Pin an app
- Open Start or use taskbar search to find the app.
- Right-click the app and select Pin to Start.
Pin a folder or website
- Folder: In File Explorer, right-click the folder and select Pin to Start.
- Website in Microsoft Edge: Open the Edge menu, then choose More tools > Pin to Start.
Remove, reorder, or group pins
- Right-click a pinned item and choose Unpin from Start to remove it from Start. Microsoft’s Start menu guidance uses that label.
- Drag pins to change their order.
- Drag one pin onto another to create a folder for grouping shortcuts.
How to control Recommended or Recent
First check Settings > Personalization > Start. Available controls depend on your installed release: Microsoft’s general support guidance describes switches for different Recommended providers, while the September 22, 2026 26H1 preview notes describe independent show-or-hide controls for Pinned, Recommended, and All. The preview’s renamed “Recent” label and section controls should not be assumed to be present on every device; consult the 26H1 preview notes and your own Start settings.
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Microsoft’s general guidance says that when all recommendation providers are turned off, or when everything is unpinned, the corresponding sections collapse. Which providers or visibility options appear can vary. Earlier update notes also describe a redesigned responsive Start layout, so steps based on one arrangement may not match yours; see Microsoft’s October 2025 update notes.
Does hiding Recommended turn off Windows suggestions or ads?
No single Start-section visibility switch should be treated as a universal privacy or advertising control. Microsoft documents separate options at Settings > Privacy & security > Recommendations & offers, including app-launch tracking and Personalized offers. Its privacy guidance says Personalized offers may include tips, ads, and recommendations and may use device and Windows diagnostic data along with certain account and Microsoft service information; optional diagnostic data can add app and feature usage information.
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These privacy settings have a different purpose from whether a Start section or provider is displayed. Their existence does not mean every item in Recommended is an ad, nor does hiding that section establish that all Windows suggestions are disabled.
Keyboard and screen-reader navigation
Microsoft’s screen-reader instructions cover Narrator, JAWS, and NVDA. Press the Windows key, use Tab to move to Pinned or All apps, and use the arrow keys to browse. To reach Recommended files or apps, Tab to the Recommended label and then browse with the arrow keys; use More to open additional items. Exact labels can change between releases. See Microsoft’s Start menu screen-reader guide.
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Which area should you use?
- Choose Pinned when you want a stable, self-selected set of launch shortcuts that you can order and group.
- Use Recommended (or Recent on applicable newer builds) when seeing recently used files or apps is useful and you do not want to pin every item.
- Use both if you want fixed shortcuts alongside activity-based items; the areas serve different purposes.
Microsoft’s older April 2024 update notes also describe Recommended as surfacing recently added or frequently used apps, illustrating why its contents are not simply a second list of pins.
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