Personalization Add or Remove Recommended Section on Start Menu in Windows 11

This tutorial will show you how to add or remove the Recommended (Recent) section from the Start Menu for your account, specific users, or all users in Windows 11.

The Start menu in Windows 11 is comprised of three sections: Pinned, All apps, and Recommended.

The Recommended section on the Start menu shows a list of your recently added apps, recently opened items, and websites.

Starting with Windows 11 build 26300.8553 (Experimental 25H2), the "Recommended" section has been renamed to "Recent" in Start and Settings page.





EXAMPLE: Add and Remove Recommended section on the Start Menu

This option is only available starting with Windows 11 build 26300.8553 (Experimental 25H2) for Insiders.

1 Open Settings (Win+I).

2 Click/tap on Personalization on the left side, and click/tap on Start on the right side. (see screenshot below)



3 Under Layout options, turn On (add) or Off (remove - default) Recent for what you want. (see screenshot below)


4 You can now close Settings if you like.

This option is only available starting with Windows 11 build 26300.8553 (Experimental 25H2) for Insiders.

1 Do step 2] (add) or step 3 (remove) below for what you want.

This is the default setting.

(Contents of REG file for reference)






(Contents of REG file for reference)

4 Save the .reg file to your desktop.

5 If you have Smart App Control turned on, you will need to unblock the downloaded REG file.

6 Double click/tap on the downloaded .reg file to merge it.

7 When prompted, click/tap on Run, Yes (UAC), Yes, and OK to approve the merge.

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

You must be signed in as an administrator to ruse this option.

The Local Group Policy Editor is only available in the Windows 11 Pro, Enterprise, and Education editions.

All editions can use Option Four to configure the same policy.

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 Navigate to the policy location below you want in the left pane of the Local Group Policy Editor. (see screenshot below)





3 In the right pane of Start Menu and Taskbar in the Local Group Policy Editor, double click/tap on the Remove Recommended section from Start Menu policy to edit it. (see screenshot above)

4 Do step 5 (add) or step 6 (remove) below for what you want.

This is the default setting to allow using Option One and Option Two.

This will prevent using Option One and Option Two.

7 Close the Local Group Policy Editor.

8 Either restart explorer process, sign out and sign in, or restart the computer to apply.

You must be signed in as an administrator to ruse this option.

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

This is the default setting to allow using Option One and Option Two.

(Contents of REG file for reference)

This will prevent using Option One and Option Two.

(Contents of REG file for reference)

4 Save the REG file to your desktop.

5 If you have Smart App Control turned on, you will need to unblock the downloaded REG file.

6 Double click/tap on the downloaded REG file to merge it.

7 When prompted, click/tap on Run, Yes (UAC), Yes, and OK to approve the merge.

8 Either restart explorer process, sign out and sign in, or restart the computer to apply.

9 You can now delete the downloaded REG file if you like.


That's it,
Shawn Brink