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On Windows 11 devices that have Microsoft’s 2026 Start-menu redesign, you can hide the entire Pinned section without uninstalling its apps. Open Settings > Personalization > Start and switch off the section-level Pinned control. If that control is missing, first check Windows Update: Microsoft says availability can vary by device as features roll out.
How do I hide the Pinned section in the Windows 11 Start menu?
Use the Pinned visibility setting in Start personalization. It hides the section as a whole; it does not uninstall the apps or remove their shortcuts from the device. This is the direct answer if you want to get rid of the Pinned area without deleting the programs you use.
- Open Settings. Select the Start button, then open Settings. You can also use the Settings shortcut if you prefer.
- Go to Personalization. In Settings, select Personalization.
- Open Start settings. Select Start from the Personalization options.
- Find the section visibility controls. On devices with the redesigned page, look for controls to show or hide Start-menu sections.
- Turn off Pinned. Switch off the section-level Pinned option. The setting changes what appears in Start; it is not an uninstall command.
- Open Start to confirm. Check that the Pinned section is no longer displayed. If it remains, confirm that the setting was switched off and check whether the feature is available on your device.
Turning the control off changes the Start-menu presentation, not the underlying apps. You do not need to delete shortcuts, uninstall programs, or install another utility. If you later want the section back, return to the same Start settings page and turn the Pinned control on again, provided it is available on your device.
The exact placement or wording may shift as Windows updates roll out. Microsoft describes the redesigned settings page as having independent section-level toggles for Pinned, Recommended and All in its Windows 11 24H2 and 25H2 update notes, dated August 27, 2026. Look for the Pinned section control, rather than a command that removes apps.
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What does hiding Pinned change—and what does it leave alone?
Hiding Pinned changes the Start-menu layout, not the apps themselves. The important distinction is whether you want to hide a whole section, remove one shortcut, or change which Start view is displayed.
| What you want to do | Use this option | What changes |
|---|---|---|
| Hide the Pinned section | Turn off the section-level Pinned control in Settings > Personalization > Start, if it is available. | The section is hidden from Start; the apps are not uninstalled. |
| Remove one app or shortcut from Pinned | Right-click that item and select Unpin from Start. | That item is removed from the pinned list. This is not the same as hiding the entire section. |
| Change which Start view you see | Use the available Start views and sections. | Microsoft says the Pinned and All sections remember the last-used view. A view preference is not the section-level visibility control. |
These choices differ in scope. The visibility toggle affects the entire Pinned section; Unpin from Start affects only the selected app or shortcut. Neither action is an app-uninstall operation. The toggle is the closer match when you want a cleaner Start layout but still want to keep your apps on the device. Unpinning is more selective when you want to retain the section and just remove a few items.
Both approaches are reversible in the ordinary sense that you can change the layout again: turn the section visibility control back on to show Pinned, or pin an item again if you want it listed in Start. These are Start-menu organization choices, not permanent deletion of the software. Use the control that matches the size of the change you intend.
Unpinning is the useful fallback when the section-level control is unavailable, or when you want to keep Pinned but remove only a few entries. It is a per-item action: it does not turn off the entire section. Microsoft’s Start-menu customization guidance documents right-clicking an app or shortcut and choosing Unpin from Start.
Why is the Pinned toggle missing?
The section-level control belongs to Microsoft’s redesigned Start settings, so not every Windows installation or device necessarily shows it. Microsoft says feature availability can vary by device and that experiences continue rolling out. In other words, not seeing the switch does not mean that you overlooked a universal setting: the setting may not yet be available on that particular installation.
Check for available Windows updates
Open Settings > Windows Update and check for available updates. Install updates offered for your device, then return to Settings > Personalization > Start and look for the section-level controls again. Microsoft’s Windows 11 update overview explains that users can check for updates in Settings and that feature timing varies. Updating is the first sensible check, but it does not establish that every device will receive a feature at the same time.
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After updating, reopen Start settings and check for the section-level controls rather than assuming the switch will appear immediately. Microsoft describes the experience as rolling out with availability that can vary by device; the update overview does not promise a single date when all devices will have every Start feature. If the control remains absent, you can still use the documented per-item unpin action for the entries you specifically want removed.
Confirm which Windows version you have
Check that the device is running Windows 11. Microsoft’s Start-menu guidance describes a different, older pinned-app layout for Windows 10; the Windows 11 section-level toggle should not be treated as a universal Windows setting. If the device is on Windows 10, use the controls documented for that Start layout rather than expecting the Windows 11 redesign.
This version distinction matters because instructions that say “turn off Pinned” refer to the redesigned Windows 11 settings page. Windows 10 users may still be able to manage individual Start items with controls appropriate to that layout, but should not look for a Windows 11 section visibility toggle that the cited Windows 10 guidance does not describe.
If it is still unavailable
If you are on Windows 11, have installed available updates and still do not see a Pinned visibility control, use the supported per-item action if your goal is to clear particular entries: right-click each app or shortcut and select Unpin from Start. That reduces the pinned items but is not equivalent to hiding the section. The available documentation does not establish a separate supported workaround for forcing the section-level toggle to appear on every device.
Be clear about the limitation: unpinning every listed app may leave the Pinned area or heading visible, because unpinning changes the contents rather than the section’s visibility. If your goal is specifically to remove the entire section, keep checking Start settings after updates become available for your device. Do not treat a third-party customization tool as a required step for this Microsoft-documented setting.
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Can I remove Pinned without uninstalling apps?
Yes. The section-level visibility control hides Pinned without uninstalling the apps. If that setting is unavailable, Unpin from Start removes an individual entry from the Start menu; it is also distinct from uninstalling the program.
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Choose the action by its scope. Use the Pinned toggle when the aim is to change the overall Start layout. Use Unpin from Start when the aim is to remove a specific app or shortcut but leave the rest of the Start menu as it is. If you need to uninstall an app, that is a separate Windows action and is not required to hide or unpin it.
For example, if you want to keep a browser installed but no longer see its shortcut in Pinned, right-click that shortcut and choose Unpin from Start. If you want no Pinned section displayed at all, use the Pinned visibility toggle instead. Hiding the section is broader visually, while unpinning targets entries one at a time.
Does the redesigned Start menu have other section controls?
Yes. Microsoft says the redesigned Start settings let users independently show or hide Pinned, Recommended and All. Therefore, switching off Pinned is not the same as turning off every other part of Start: adjust only the section whose visibility you want to change.
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Repair common Windows errors and clear accumulated junk for a smoother, more stable PC - no reinstall needed.Free scan · no reinstallIndependent controls are useful if you want to simplify one part of Start while keeping other sections. For instance, turn off Pinned and leave Recommended or All enabled if that better suits how you use Start. The controls are separate, so changing Pinned does not by itself mean that you have disabled the other sections. The exact combination available can depend on the update and device.
Microsoft’s Windows 11 26H1 update notes also describe a choice of Start-menu size and a rename of the Recommended section among the 2026 Start changes. The control names and available features can depend on the update and device, so follow the labels shown on your own Start settings page.
What if I only want Start to show a different view?
Changing the view is not a substitute for hiding Pinned. Microsoft says the Pinned and All sections remember the last-used view, while the redesigned settings provide separate controls to show or hide sections. If your goal is for Pinned not to appear, use its visibility control when available; changing views alone should not be treated as removing the section.
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The distinction is between a remembered view and visibility. A view preference determines which view is used within the relevant Start experience; the section-level control determines whether Pinned is shown at all. If you simply switch to another view, that does not establish that Pinned has been turned off. Use the dedicated visibility switch for that result.
If the Pinned control is not present, do not assume that removing every pinned entry will hide the section. Microsoft’s documented older fallback is to unpin apps and shortcuts one at a time. That changes the contents, not the visibility setting for the whole section.
Do I need a third-party utility to hide Pinned?
No third-party customization tool or hardware accessory is required for Microsoft’s documented method. Start personalization is the supported place to look for the section-level toggle; unpinning items is the documented fallback for individual entries. Installing another tool is not necessary to perform either action.
There is no need to buy a keyboard, manual, Windows license, or installation medium just to hide Pinned. If the toggle is missing, the appropriate first checks are your Windows version and available Windows updates. A utility is not a substitute for feature availability, and the documented per-item action remains available when you only need to remove particular shortcuts.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Frequently Asked Questions
Will hiding Pinned delete or uninstall my apps?
No. The visibility control affects whether the section appears in Start; it does not uninstall apps. Unpinning an item is also a Start-menu change, not an uninstall command.
Can I hide Pinned but keep Recommended visible?
Yes, on devices with the redesigned settings: Microsoft describes Pinned, Recommended and All as independently controlled sections. Turn off only Pinned and leave the other section controls enabled as desired.
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Does the Pinned toggle work on Windows 10?
The documented section-level toggle is part of the redesigned Windows 11 Start settings. Microsoft’s Windows 10 guidance covers a different Start layout, so do not expect the same control there.
Why does unpinning every app not remove the Pinned heading?
Unpinning removes entries one at a time; it does not control whether the section itself is shown. Hiding the section requires the separate Pinned visibility toggle where that redesigned setting is available.
How do I remove the Pinned section without uninstalling apps?
On a Windows 11 device with the redesigned Start settings, open Settings > Personalization > Start and switch off Pinned. This hides the section without uninstalling its apps.
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1Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitches2Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problems3Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteWhy can I only unpin apps instead of turning off Pinned?
The Pinned section toggle may not yet be available on your device. Check Settings > Windows Update for available updates, confirm that you are using Windows 11, and look again. If it is still missing, unpinning is a per-item fallback, not a way to hide the whole section.
Can I make Start open without Pinned by changing the view?
A remembered view is different from the section visibility setting. Microsoft says Pinned and All remember the last-used view; use the Pinned visibility control when available if you want the section hidden.
The Bottom Line
To hide the entire Pinned area, use Settings > Personalization > Start and turn off Pinned on a Windows 11 device that has the redesigned settings. If the control is missing, check Windows Update and confirm your Windows version. Right-clicking and choosing Unpin from Start removes individual entries, not the whole section.
