How to Turn Off Windows 10/11's Quick Access Menu

In Windows File Manager, the Quick Access menu is a valuable function. It creates a shortcut to the recently opened files and folders on your Windows 10 or 11 PC. This makes reopening recently closed files and revisiting recently closed or pinned folders a breeze. However, some users desire to hide the Quick Access menu in Windows for privacy and security reasons. Let's see how we can accomplish this.

Why is it necessary to disable the Quick Access Menu in Windows?

The Windows operating system's File Manager is one of the best in the business. It is simple to use and navigate. There are numerous keyboard shortcuts that function within, as well as a convenient sidebar that makes switching between discs and folders a breeze.

You'll find the Quick Access menu on the sidebar menu as well. Consider it a bookmarking feature, with the symbol'star' being a good fit.

There are two main reasons for this:

• Privacy - You don't want your personal or sensitive files and folders to appear in the Quick Access menu if someone is looking over your shoulder.
• Clutter — the Quick Access menu becomes cluttered and difficult to browse when there are too many folders.

How to Turn Off Logging in the Quick Access Menu

We'll tell File Explorer not to keep track of and display recently accessed files and folders in the Quick Access menu.

1. To open the File Explorer window, press Windows+E. It opens in the Quick Access folder by default. Options can be found by selecting the three-dot menu icon.

2.Uncheck the Show recently used files in Quick access and Show often used folders in Quick access options in the pop-up window that appears.

3.To save your changes, click Apply.

Note: The instructions outlined above are for Windows 11. If you're using Windows 10, the steps may be slightly different. Folder Options can be found by going to File > Change folder and search options.

How can I remove recent files and folders from the Quick Access Menu?

You've stopped logging File Explorer history in the Quick Access menu to prevent Windows from tracking new files and folders, but what about previously logged activity? You'll still have to get rid of them.

We created a detailed guide about how to better manage and delete files and folders from File Explorer's Quick Access menu. However, this is a more selective procedure in which you may choose whether to remove or maintain individual recent folders from the Quick Access menu. But what if you want to wipe all of File Explorer's history, including the Start menu, so that your recent files vanish? Yes, Windows shows them in the Start menu as well. Surprise!

To do so, return to Folder Options and select the Clear button under the General tab on the General menu.

How to Completely Disable Quick Access

The Quick Access option is valuable in and of itself because it allows you to bookmark key folders. However, if you wish to remove it entirely from the File Explorer sidebar, you can do so.

1. Open the Registry Editor by searching for it in the Start menu and selecting Run as administrator.

2.Go to the folder structure listed below.

3.Permissions can be accessed by right-clicking on the ShellFolder and selecting Permissions.

4.In the pop-up window that appears, select Advanced.

5.Click Change next to the Owner heading in the following pop-up.

6.Now select Advanced from the drop-down menu.

7.Select the Find Now option.

8.At the bottom of the page, under Search Results, you'll see various listings. Select Administrators from the search results, then OK in each pop-up window to save your changes until you return to the Registry Editor.

9.Change the Value data to a0600000 by double-clicking the Attributes folder inside ShellFolder.

To sum it up, disable the Quick Access Menu.

In the File Explorer, you have a number of options and ways to customise how the Quick Access menu works, if at all. You can delete recent browsing history, pin/unpin folders, and tell File Explorer not to keep track of your activities. Neat.

Are you dissatisfied with Windows' default File Explorer? You might be interested in the following third-party file managers for Windows.