How to Turn On or Off 'Recent Items' and 'Frequent Places' in Jump Lists in Windows 10
Recent items is a list of the files that you have used or opened recently. These items are displayed as "Recent files" in Quick access, and under "Recent" in jump lists on the Start menu and taskbar.
Frequent places is a list of folders, websites, etc... that you have opened recently. These items are displayed as "Frequent folders" in Quick access folder, "Frequent places" under File in File Explorer, and under "Frequent" and "Recent" in jump lists on the Start menu and taskbar.
This tutorial will show you how to turn on or off to store and display recent items and frequent places in File Explorer, Quick access, jump lists, Start menu, and taskbar for your account or specific or all users in Windows 10.
When you turn off recent items and frequent places, it will reset and clear them all except any locations you pinned to Quick access and pinned to Jump Lists.
Your recent items and frequent places are stored in the folder locations below.
%APPDATA%\Microsoft\Windows\Recent
%APPDATA%\Microsoft\Windows\Recent\AutomaticDestinations
%APPDATA%\Microsoft\Windows\Recent\CustomDestinations
Contents
- Option One: Turn On or Off "Recent Items" and "Frequent Places" for Current User in Settings app
- Option Two: Turn On or Off "Recent Items" and "Frequent Places" for Current User using a REG file
- Option Three: Enable or Disable "Recent Items" and "Frequent Places" for Specific Users in Local Group Policy Editor
- Option Four: Enable or Disable "Recent Items" and "Frequent Places" for All Users using a REG file
EXAMPLE: Where you will see Recent Items and Frequent Places
(Jump Lists in Start menu)
(Jump Lists on taskbar)
(Quick access)
(File menu in File Explorer)
1 Do step 2 or step 3 below for how you would like to open Personalization in the Settings app.
2 Right click or press and hold on your desktop, click/tap on Personalize, and go to step 4 below.
3 Open Settings, click/tap on the Personalization icon, and go to step 4 below.
4 Click/tap on Start on the left side. Turn on (default) or off to Show recently opened items in Jump Lists on Start or the taskbar and in File Explorer Quick Access for what you want. (see screenshot below)
5 When finished, you can close Settings if you like.
The downloadable .reg files below will modify the DWORD in the registry key below.
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Advanced
Start_TrackDocs DWORD
0 = Turn off
1 = Turn on
1 Do step 2 or step 3 below for what you would like to do.
This is the default setting.
A) Click/tap on the Download button below to download the file below, and go to step 4 below.
Turn_On_Recent_Items_and_Frequent_Places.reg
Download
A) Click/tap on the Download button below to download the file below, and go to step 4 below.
Turn_Off_Recent_Items_and_Frequent_Places.reg
Download
4 Save the .reg file to your desktop.
5 Double click/tap on the downloaded .reg file to merge it.
6 When prompted, click/tap on Run, Yes (UAC), Yes, and OK to approve the merge.
7 When finished, you can delete the downloaded .reg file if you like.
If disabled, this option will override and gray out Option One, and override Option Two.
The Local Group Policy Editor is only available in the Windows 10 Pro, Enterprise, and Education editions.
All editions can use Option Four below.
1 Open the all users, specific users or groups, or all users except administrators Local Group Policy Editor for how you want this policy applied.
2 In the left pane of the Local Group Policy Editor, click/tap on to expand User Configuration, Administrative Templates, and Start Menu and Taskbar. (see screenshot below)
3 In the right pane of Start Menu and Taskbar, double click/tap on the Do not keep history of recently opened documents policy to edit it. (see screenshot above)
4 Do step 5 (enable) or step 6 (disable) below for what you would like to do.
A) Select (dot) either Not Configured or Disabled, click/tap on OK, and go to step 7 below. (see screenshot below)
Not Configured is the default setting.
7 When finished, you can close the Local Group Policy Editor if you like.
If disabled, this option will override and gray out Option One, and override Option Two.
The downloadable .reg files below will add and modify the DWORD value in the registry keys below.
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer
NoRecentDocsHistory DWORD
(delete) = Enable
1 = Disable
1 Do step 2 (enable) or step 3 (disable) below for what you would like to do.
This is the default setting.
A) Click/tap on the Download button below to download the file below, and go to step 4 below.
Enable_Recent_Items_and_Frequent_Places_for_all_users.reg
Download
A) Click/tap on the Download button below to download the file below, and go to step 4 below.
Disable_Recent_Items_and_Frequent_Places_for_all_users.reg
Download
4 Save the .reg file to your desktop.
5 Double click/tap on the downloaded .reg file to merge it.
6 When prompted, click/tap on Run, Yes (UAC), Yes, and OK to approve the merge.
7 You can now delete the downloaded .reg file if you like.
That's it,
Shawn Brink
Related Tutorials
- How to Reset and Clear Recent Items and Frequent Places in Windows 10
- How to Clear File Explorer and Run Dialog Box History in Windows 10
- How to Add or Remove Frequent folders from Quick access in Windows 10
- How to Add or Remove Recent files from Quick access in Windows 10
- How to Hide a Specific File or Folder from Quick access in Windows 10
- How to Add or Remove Most Used apps on Start Menu in Windows 10
- How to Create a Recent Folders Shortcut in Windows 10
- How to Create a Recent Items Shortcut in Windows 10
- How to Enable or Disable Pin and Unpin Items on Jump Lists in Windows 10
- How to Change Maximum Number of Items in Jump Lists in Windows 10
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Turn On or Off Recent Items and Frequent Places in Windows 10
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New #1
Brink, many thanks for great article but I got some issue here.
I've tried using all the various methods you posted in this forum and Turn_On_Recent_Items_and_Frequent_Places reg file manage to enable me to use Quick Access again. But still, I'm unable view Quick Access on the (left) sidebar. You know when you click the arrow thingy.
Also, I could not manually add folder to the Quick Access and Windows would give me "An API call exited abnormally" warning.
Can you please help.
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New #2
Hello acomicbookguy, and welcome to Ten Forums. :)
Did you do anything like below to remove or disable Quick access for why it's not working properly for you?
https://www.tenforums.com/tutorials/4...dows-10-a.html
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New #3
I didn't do anything of that sort. The only that I've done recently that might be of interest to this matter is that,
- Windows 10 did its auto-update (for security thingy) - but I doubt this is the cause,
- I changed my User privillege from Normal to Admin., and finally,
- I kinda force uninstall AVG Free via Revo Uninstaller since it didn't work in my Windows 10.
Appreciate the reply Brink.
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New #4
Did you move this to your D:\Berlitz?
If so, that could be why. I find that moving system folders or user profiles don't always work out so well.
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New #5
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New #6
Brink, I tried creating new account and they don't have this malfunction Quick Access issues of mine. Do you have any idea how to solve this then?
I also tried SFC /scannow and it gives result that it was unable to fix some of the corrupt files.
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New #7
acomicbookguy,
If you need to keep this account instead of using a new account instead, you could do a repair install that should sort it without losing anything. :)
Repair Install Windows 10 with an In-place Upgrade
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New #8
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New #9
Hello dwknight, and welcome to Ten Forums. :)
If you like, the option in the tutorial below will do this automatically for you, and is more thorough.
https://www.tenforums.com/tutorials/3...set-clear.html
Turn On or Off Recent Items and Frequent Places in Windows 10
How to Turn On or Off 'Recent Items' and 'Frequent Places' in Jump Lists in Windows 10Published by Shawn BrinkCategory: General Tips
18 Apr 2025
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