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On most Windows 11 releases, open Start > Settings > Personalization > Start and turn the individual Recommended-content switches on or off. Those switches control recently added apps, most-used apps, and recently opened items; they do not always remove the entire section. A section-level control is described for the Windows 11 26H1 preview, where Microsoft also renames Recommended to Recent.
What the Recommended area does
The Recommended area in the Windows 11 Start menu provides shortcuts to recently opened files, documents, and installed apps. Its contents are controlled by separate privacy and convenience settings rather than, on every release, one master switch. Microsoft explains the Start menu’s sections and navigation in its accessibility documentation: Use a screen reader to explore and navigate the Start menu.
That distinction matters. Turning off one option can remove a category of entries while leaving the Recommended heading and other categories visible. If your build includes the newer section-level controls, you can hide the whole section directly; otherwise, use the individual switches below.
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1. Open the Start personalization page
- Open the Start menu.
- Select Settings.
- Choose Personalization.
- Open Start.
Microsoft’s consumer instructions use this route and document three switches for the content that appears in and around Recommended: Make it easier to focus on tasks.
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If you prefer keyboard navigation, press the Windows key, type Settings, press Enter, then use the Personalization and Start links. The names may differ slightly if your release has adopted the 26H1 preview terminology, so follow the labels shown on your screen.
2. Set the switches you need
| Windows 11 option | When enabled | When disabled | What it does not guarantee |
|---|---|---|---|
| Show recently added apps | Recently installed apps can appear in Start’s Recommended content. | Recently added apps are excluded from that content. | It does not remove other Recommended entries or necessarily hide the section. |
| Show most used apps | Windows can show the apps you use most frequently. | The most-used-app list is suppressed. | It does not control recently opened files or newly added apps. |
| Show recently opened items in Start, Jump Lists, and File Explorer | Recent items can appear in Start, application Jump Lists, and File Explorer. | Windows stops showing those recent items on all three surfaces. | It is a recent-items control, not a universal section-level switch. |
Switch an option on when you want that category available, or off when you want it hidden. Because the switches target different content types, you can keep recently added apps while hiding recent files, or disable the most-used list without changing the other two categories.
There is no requirement to change all three. For example, someone who wants a convenient list of installed applications but does not want documents displayed can leave Show recently added apps enabled and disable Show recently opened items in Start, Jump Lists, and File Explorer. Someone who wants to avoid usage-based suggestions can disable only Show most used apps.
3. Check the Start menu
Close Settings and open Start again. The affected category should no longer contribute entries after its switch is disabled. If other entries remain, that is expected: each switch governs only its named content type. To make the menu less revealing without hiding everything, disable only the recent-items option; to retain a useful app history while removing one category, change that category’s switch alone.
Test one change at a time if you are trying to identify a particular source. A newly installed application points to the recently added-apps switch, a usage-based app list points to the most-used switch, and documents or other recent entries point to the recently opened-items switch. This makes it easier to reverse a single change later.
Why the three switches may not remove the entire section
On releases that provide only the consumer controls above, Microsoft documents content-level settings, not a guaranteed whole-section toggle. The Recommended area can therefore remain as an empty or partially populated region after one or more switches are turned off. Do not treat the three options as interchangeable:
- The recently added-apps option addresses newly installed applications.
- The most-used-apps option addresses usage-based app suggestions.
- The recently opened-items option addresses files and other recent entries across Start, Jump Lists, and File Explorer.
If your goal is specifically to remove the heading and its space from Start, first check whether your Windows release has the 26H1 preview design described in the next section. If it does not, the documented consumer controls let you reduce or eliminate categories of content, but they do not establish a universal section-removal command.
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In other words, an apparently blank Recommended area does not mean Windows is ignoring your setting. It can simply mean that another category is still enabled, or that the release reserves the section even when no matching entries are currently available. The setting’s name is the best guide to its scope.
Windows 11 26H1 preview: a direct section-level control
Microsoft’s September 22, 2026 preview notes for Windows 11 26H1 describe a redesigned Start menu with independent controls for Pinned, Recommended, and All. The same notes say the Recommended section is renamed Recent in both the Start menu and the Start settings page. Read the release notes here: September 22, 2026—KB5124006 preview.
This is a preview-release description, not proof that every Windows 11 PC has the new interface. Feature availability depends on the installed release and update state. If your Start settings show a section-level control, use it to independently show or hide the Recommended/Recent area, Pinned area, or All-apps area. If the control is absent, use the three content switches under Settings > Personalization > Start instead.
How to identify the preview variation
Look at both the Start menu and the Start settings page. A build using the described redesign may display Recent where earlier builds display Recommended, along with separate controls for the Pinned, Recommended/Recent, and All sections. The presence of those independent section controls is more significant than the wording alone: it indicates that the build can show or hide a whole section instead of merely filtering one content category.
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Do not infer that a normal Windows update has installed this design simply because an online screenshot uses the word “Recent.” Microsoft’s notes are specifically for a September 22, 2026 Windows 11 26H1 preview release. Stable releases and other update states can retain the older name and layout. Check what your own Settings page displays before giving someone instructions based on a different build.
Recommended versus Recent
On an eligible 26H1 preview build, “Recent” is the new label for what earlier releases call “Recommended.” The rename does not mean that all Windows 11 editions or stable builds have changed terminology. When following help for your own PC, match the label shown in your Start menu and Settings page rather than assuming that a screenshot from another build applies to yours.
The rename also does not change the basic choice you are making. Hiding the section controls whether that area is displayed; the older content switches control particular kinds of entries. If the preview presents both kinds of controls, use the section switch for layout and the content switches for finer filtering.
Hiding Recommended on a work or school device
Organization-managed Windows devices have a separate policy. Microsoft’s Policy CSP – Start documents HideRecommendedSection, which “prevents the Start menu from displaying a list of recommended applications and files.” Enabling that policy hides the section containing recommended files and apps.
This is an administrative control, not another consumer checkbox. A company or school can deploy it through device-management tools, and the resulting layout can differ from the choices available to an individual user in Settings. If your device is enrolled or joined to an organization, a local change may not determine what appears in Start.
Supported editions and Windows versions
The policy documentation lists Windows 11 version 22H2 and later on Pro, Enterprise, Education, and IoT Enterprise editions. It supports both device and user scope through the configuration service provider. Whether the policy is available on your computer therefore depends on the edition, version, and whether an administrator manages it.
Windows 11 Home is not among the editions listed for this policy documentation. That does not prevent a Home user from using the normal Start settings; it means the documented managed-policy route is intended for the supported professional and organizational editions. Ask your administrator which management system and scope apply instead of assuming that a setting shown in a policy guide is available to every edition.
Group Policy locations
For administrators using Group Policy, Microsoft maps the setting to both of these locations:
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- User Configuration > Administrative Templates > Start Menu and Taskbar > Remove Recommended section from Start Menu
Enable the policy in the scope that should receive it. A user-level setting affects the targeted user profile; a computer-level setting applies to the managed device according to the organization’s policy deployment. Ordinary users should not attempt to bypass an organization’s configuration by editing the registry, and a local user cannot override a policy enforced by the organization.
Administrators should select the scope deliberately. A computer policy is appropriate when every user of a managed PC should receive the same Start layout. A user policy is appropriate when the requirement follows a particular account. The CSP documentation’s device and user scopes provide the corresponding management choices for organizations that use mobile-device or configuration-management tools.
How to check which Windows release you are using
The exact wording and section controls depend on the Windows release and update state. Open Settings > System > About to review the Windows specifications shown for your PC, then compare the layout in Settings > Personalization > Start with the labels described above. You do not need to force a preview update merely to obtain a different Start menu; use the controls already supported by your installed build.
If a support article says “Recommended” but your computer says “Recent,” read the instructions as a version difference rather than an error. Conversely, if an article describes independent Pinned, Recent, and All toggles but your page shows only the three content switches, use the latter. The absence of a control is itself useful information about the interface your build provides.
Troubleshooting when the setting does not behave as expected
The Start page has different wording
Windows 11 labels vary by release. If you see Recent instead of Recommended, you may be on the 26H1 preview design described by Microsoft. If you see only the three content switches, your build is using the documented standard controls. Use the labels actually displayed on your PC and verify the installed update state before following instructions written for another release.
Turning off one option still leaves entries
Each option has a narrow scope. For example, disabling recently opened items does not remove recently added apps or most-used apps. Review the table above and turn off every category you want suppressed. If your objective is to remove the entire area rather than its contents, look for the section-level control; it is not present on every release.
A work or school computer keeps showing an organization-controlled layout
The HideRecommendedSection policy is administered separately from the consumer switches. If an administrator has configured it, or has configured other Start policies, your local preference may not determine the final layout. Contact the organization’s IT administrator rather than changing system policy yourself.
The section is hidden but you expected files or apps to remain visible
Hiding the section removes its recommended files and apps from Start. It does not uninstall applications or delete documents. The policy and section-level controls change what Start displays; they are not file-removal tools.
You cannot find one of the three switches
Read the full label on the Start settings page. The recent-items control is named Show recently opened items in Start, Jump Lists, and File Explorer, while the app controls refer to recently added and most-used apps. A preview build may replace the older Recommended wording with Recent and present section-level controls instead. Do not substitute a similarly worded privacy setting from another Windows page; use the control under Personalization and Start.
Only some entries disappear
Partial changes are normal when categories are controlled independently. An app that was installed recently can be governed by the recently added-apps option, while a document opened today is governed by the recent-items option. Disable the specific category that matches what remains, or use the whole-section control when your build exposes one.
Choosing the right setting
| Your goal | Use this control | Expected result |
|---|---|---|
| Keep newly installed apps out of Start recommendations | Turn off Show recently added apps. | Recently added apps stop contributing to Recommended content. |
| Stop usage-based app suggestions | Turn off Show most used apps. | The most-used-app category is hidden. |
| Prevent recent files and entries across Windows surfaces | Turn off Show recently opened items in Start, Jump Lists, and File Explorer. | Recent items are suppressed in all three named surfaces. |
| Remove the whole area on a personal PC | Use the 26H1 section-level control if your build provides it. | The Recommended/Recent section can be shown or hidden independently. |
| Enforce removal for an organization | Enable HideRecommendedSection through supported device-management or Group Policy tools. | Managed devices hide the recommended files and apps section according to policy scope. |
This comparison also helps avoid an overbroad change. If the concern is only document visibility, disabling all app-related settings is unnecessary. If the requirement is a uniform company layout, asking each user to change a personal switch is less reliable than applying the documented policy at the appropriate scope.
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Recommended content is useful when you want quick access to files and apps you recently used, but the same history can reveal activity to anyone viewing your Start menu. The recently opened-items switch is the broadest of the three consumer controls because it covers Start, Jump Lists, and File Explorer. The two app-specific switches let you reduce exposure more selectively while retaining other shortcuts.
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Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteDriver Scan →Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsFree Scan →On a shared personal computer, choose the narrowest switch that meets your privacy goal. On a managed computer, follow the organization’s policy because administrative settings can take precedence over personal preferences. On a preview build, distinguish the section-level Recent control from the content-level switches so you know whether you are hiding the entire area or only particular entries.
These controls change what Windows presents in its interface. Turning off a display option should not be confused with deleting the underlying app or document. If you need to remove a file, uninstall an app, or change account access, use the separate Windows or application tools intended for those tasks.
Quick checklist
- Open Start > Settings > Personalization > Start.
- Decide whether you want to hide newly added apps, most-used apps, recent items, or the entire section.
- Use the matching consumer switch; do not assume one switch controls all Recommended content.
- If your 26H1 preview build shows independent Pinned, Recommended/Recent, and All controls, use the section-level switch for whole-area removal.
- If the device belongs to a workplace or school, check with the administrator about HideRecommendedSection.
- Verify the result by reopening Start and checking the other surfaces named by the switch.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I turn off Recommended in the Windows 11 Start menu?
Open Start > Settings > Personalization > Start. Turn off the individual switches for recently added apps, most-used apps, or recently opened items, depending on what you want hidden. These switches do not always remove the whole section. A whole-section control is described for the Windows 11 26H1 preview.
How do I show recently opened items in Start?
Go to Settings > Personalization > Start and turn on Show recently opened items in Start, Jump Lists, and File Explorer. This setting covers all three named Windows surfaces.
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The three standard switches control different content types. Turning off recent items does not remove recently added or most-used apps, and none of the switches is guaranteed to hide the entire section on every release. Disable the other relevant categories or use a section-level control if your build provides one.
What is the difference between Recommended and Recent?
Microsoft’s Windows 11 26H1 preview notes say that Recommended is renamed Recent in the Start menu and the Start settings page. The wording is version-specific, so stable or older builds may continue to use Recommended.
Does every Windows 11 PC have a switch to remove the entire section?
No. Microsoft’s standard consumer instructions document separate content switches. Independent section controls for Pinned, Recommended, and All are described in the September 22, 2026 Windows 11 26H1 preview notes, and availability depends on your installed release and update state.
Can I hide only recently added apps but keep recent files?
Yes. Leave Show recently opened items in Start, Jump Lists, and File Explorer enabled and turn off Show recently added apps. Each option targets its named category.
Can I hide recent files in Start but keep app suggestions?
Yes. Turn off the recently opened-items switch and leave the recently added-apps or most-used-apps switches enabled as desired. The recent-items switch also affects Jump Lists and File Explorer.
How can an organization remove Recommended for users?
An administrator can deploy the HideRecommendedSection policy through supported management tools. Microsoft documents it for Windows 11 22H2 and later on Pro, Enterprise, Education, and IoT Enterprise editions, with device and user scope. Group Policy maps it to the Start Menu and Taskbar setting named Remove Recommended section from Start Menu under both Computer Configuration and User Configuration.
Can I override HideRecommendedSection on a work computer?
Not reliably. An organization-managed policy can determine the final Start layout and take precedence over local preferences. Contact the organization’s IT administrator instead of editing the registry or attempting to bypass policy.
Does hiding Recommended delete my files or uninstall apps?
No. The consumer switches, preview section controls, and HideRecommendedSection policy change what Start displays. They do not delete documents or uninstall applications.
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Use Start > Settings > Personalization > Start to control recently added apps, most-used apps, and recently opened items individually. If your Windows 11 26H1 preview build offers independent section toggles, use the Recommended/Recent control to hide the whole area. On a managed Pro, Enterprise, Education, or IoT Enterprise device, an administrator can enforce removal with HideRecommendedSection.
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