When you click the Start button in Windows 11, the bottom half of the menu is dedicated to a “Recommended” section. This section automatically populates with a list of recently opened files, newly installed applications, and documents it thinks you might want to access.
If you share your computer with family members or frequently share your screen during Zoom presentations, this feature is a massive privacy risk. Anyone looking at your screen when you open the Start menu can instantly see exactly which spreadsheets, photos, or confidential documents you were working on five minutes ago.
How to Disable the ‘Recent Files’ List
You can easily turn off this tracking feature and clear the Recommended section directly from the Settings app.
- Click the Start button and select the Settings gear icon (or press Windows Key + I).
- In the left-hand navigation pane, click on Personalisation.
- Scroll down the right side of the window and click on Start.
- You will see three distinct toggle switches related to the Recommended section.
- Turn Off the toggle labelled: Show recently opened items in Start, Jump Lists, and File Explorer.
- Turn Off the toggle labelled: Show recently added apps.
- Turn Off the toggle labelled: Show recommendations for tips, shortcuts, new apps, and more.
The changes take effect immediately. Close the Settings app and click your Start button. The “Recommended” section will still visually exist (Microsoft does not allow you to completely remove the blank space without third-party software), but it will now be entirely empty and completely safe from prying eyes. No recent files or activities will ever be displayed there again.