General Add or Remove Frequent Folders in Quick Access in Windows 11


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Recent_items_banner.png

This tutorial will show you how to add or remove showing frequent folders (locations) in Quick access in File Explorer Home for your account in Windows 11.

Starting with Windows 11 build 22593, Quick access in File Explorer (Win+E) is now called Home. The name Quick access has been repurposed for the pinned/frequent Folders section, and Pinned files is now called Favorites to align with Office and OneDrive. Recent and pinned files (Favorites) displayed in Home are now searchable using the search box in File Explorer even if they are not local files, so you can find Office files recently shared with you.

Home in the navigation pane is the default homepage of File Explorer (Win+E) that allows you to quickly access and view your pinned/frequent folders (Quick access), Favorites (pinned files), and Recent files from one location.


If you want to completely remove the Quick access section in File Explorer Home, then see:


Contents

  • Option One: Remove Specific Frequent Folders from Quick Access in File Explorer Home
  • Option Two: Remove Specific Frequent Folders from Quick Access in File Explorer Jump List
  • Option Three: Add or Remove Frequent Folders in Quick Access in File Explorer Home in Folder Options
  • Option Four: Add or Remove Frequent Folders in Quick Access in File Explorer Home using REG file


EXAMPLE: Frequent folders in Quick access in File Explorer Home and jump list
Quick_access_Frequent_locations_in_File_Explorer_Home.png
Frequent_locations_in_File_Explorer_jump_list.png





Option One

Remove Specific Frequent Folders from Quick Access in File Explorer Home


1 Open Home in File Explorer (Win+E). (see screenshot below)

2 Under Quick access, select one or more frequent folders (locations) you want to remove.

3 Right click on the selected frequent folders, and click/tap on Remove from Quick access.

This will not be available to pinned locations in Quick access unless you unpin them first.

Removing frequent folders from Quick access in File Explorer Home will not delete the location(s). It only removes them from your recent history.


Remove_from_Quick_access.png





Option Two

Remove Specific Frequent Folders from Quick Access in File Explorer Jump List


Removing "Recent" folders from File Explorer jump list will not delete the location(s). It only removes them from your recent history.


1 Perform one of the following actions: (see screenshots below)
  • Right click on the File Explorer icon on the taskbar, right click on a folder under Recent you want to remove, and click/tap on Remove from this list.
  • Open the Start menu :win:, click/tap on All apps, right click on File Explorer, right click on a folder under Recent you want to remove, and click/tap on Remove from this list.
Remove_from_this_list-taskbar.jpg
Remove_from_this_list-Start_menu-1.jpg
Remove_from_this_list-Start_menu-2.jpg





Option Three

Add or Remove Frequent Folders in Quick Access in File Explorer Home in Folder Options


When you remove showing all frequent folders from Quick access in File Explorer Home, it will clear your frequent folders history.


1 Open Folder Options.

2 Click/tap on the General tab. (see screenshot below)

3 Under Privacy, check (add - default) or uncheck (remove) Show frequently used folders for what you want.

4 Click/tap on OK.

Show_frequently_used_folders_Folder_Options.png





Option Four

Add or Remove Frequent Folders in Quick Access in File Explorer Home using REG file


When you remove showing all frequent folders from Quick access in File Explorer Home, it will clear your frequent folders history.


1 Do step 2 (add) or step 3 (remove) below for what you would like to do.

2 Add Frequent Folders in Quick Access in File Explorer Home

This is the default setting.


A) Click/tap on the Download button below to download the file below, and go to step 4 below.​

Add_frequent_folders_in_Quick_access_in_File_Explorer_Home.reg


(Contents of REG file for reference)
Code:
Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer]
"ShowFrequent"=dword:00000001

3 Remove Frequent Folders in Quick Access in File Explorer Home

A) Click/tap on the Download button below to download the file below, and go to step 4 below.​

Remove_frequent_folders_in_Quick_access_in_File_Explorer_Home.reg


(Contents of REG file for reference)
Code:
Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer]
"ShowFrequent"=dword:00000000

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 If Home in File Explorer is currently open, then refresh (F5) or close and open the window to apply.

8 You can now delete the downloaded .reg file if you like.


That's it,
Shawn Brink


 

Attachments

  • Recent_items.png
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  • Add_frequent_folders_in_Quick_access_in_File_Explorer_Home.reg
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  • Remove_frequent_folders_in_Quick_access_in_File_Explorer_Home.reg
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