This tutorial will show you how to show or hide the Most used list on the Start menu for your account or all users in Windows 11.
Starting with Windows 11 build 26200.5641 (Dev 24H2) and build 26120.4250 (Beta 24H2), Microsoft introduced a new redesigned Start menu.
The new scrollable Start Menu is comprised of three sections: Pinned, All apps, and Recommended.
The All apps section on the Start menu shows all your installed apps in either a Category, Grid, or List view. With All now on the top-level, apps are easily accessible without having to navigate to a secondary page. The new default Category view automatically groups your apps by category for quick access to your most used categories and apps. So, if your most used apps are Outlook and Solitaire, you can expect those apps to bubble up to the top in their respective categories. Categories are formed when there are at least 3 apps in each respective category. Otherwise, they will remain in the “Other” category. Grid view is ordered alphabetically like List view but allows for better scanning of all your installed apps with more horizontal real estate. The Start menu will remember your last used view so you can reliably launch your apps with the view you prefer most.
The Most used list at the top of the All apps list on the Start menu shows up to 6 of the user's most frequently used apps.
The Most used list can make it quicker and easier to open your most used apps, but you can hide the Most used list if you find it as clutter instead.
If you don't have the new Start Menu available yet in 24H2 or 25H2 and would like to try it now, then you can enable it using the command below with ViVeTool.vivetool /enable /id:47205210
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Most used requires Let Windows improve Start and search results by tracking app launches to be turned on.
Most used on the new Start menu will only show when using Name grid or Name list "All" view.
Contents
- Option One: Turn On or Off Show Most Used Apps List on Start Menu for Current User in Settings
- Option Two: Turn On or Off Show Most Used Apps List on Start Menu for Current User using REG file
- Option Three: Always Show or Hide Most Used Apps List on Start Menu for All Users in Local Group Policy Editor
- Option Four: Always Show or Hide Most Used Apps List on Start Menu for All Users using REG file
EXAMPLE: "Most used" apps list on Start menu
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 Perform an available action below: (see screenshots below)
- Turn On (show - default) or Off (hide) Show most used apps for what you want.
- Click/tap on All to expand it open, and check (show -default) or uncheck (hide) Show most used apps for what you want.
4 You can now close Settings if you like.
1 Do step 2 (on) or step 3 (off) below for what you want.
2. Turn On "Show Most Used Apps" List on Start Menu for Current User
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_Show_most_used_apps_on_Start_for_current_user.reg
Download
(Contents of REG file for reference)
Code:
Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00
[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Start]
"ShowFrequentList"=dword:00000001 3. Turn Off "Show Most Used Apps" List on Start Menu for Current User
A) Click/tap on the Download button below to download the file below, and go to step 4 below.
Turn_OFF_Show_most_used_apps_on_Start_for_current_user.reg
Download
(Contents of REG file for reference)
Code:
Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00
[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Start]
"ShowFrequentList"=dword:000000004 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 could now delete the downloaded .reg file if you like.
Always Show or Hide Most Used Apps List on Start Menu for All Users in Local Group Policy Editor
You must be signed in as an administrator to use this option.
The Local Group Policy Editor is only available in the Windows 11 Pro, Enterprise, and Education editions.
All editions can use Option Five to configure the same policy.
1 Open the Local Group Policy Editor (gpedit.msc).
2 Navigate to the key below in the left pane of the Local Group Policy Editor. (see screenshot below)
Computer Configuration > Administrative Templates > Start Menu and Taskbar
3 In the right pane of Start Menu and Taskbar in Local Group Policy Editor, double click/tap on the Show or hide "Most used" list from Start menu policy to edit it. (see screenshot above)
4 Do step 5 (always show), step 6 (always hide), or step 7 (default) below for what you would like to do.
5 Always Show Most Used apps list on Start Menu for All Users
This will turn on and gray out (disable) the Show most used apps setting in Option One and Option Two.
A) Select (dot) Enabled. (see screenshot below)
B) Select Show in drop menu under "Options".
C) Click/tap on OK, and go to step 8 below.
6 Always Hide Most Used apps list on Start Menu for All Users
This will turn off and gray out (disable) the Show most used apps setting in Option One and Option Two.
A) Select (dot) Enabled. (see screenshot below)
B) Select Hide in drop menu under "Options".
C) Click/tap on OK, and go to step 8 below.
7 Default Users Choice to Show or Hide Most Used apps list on Start Menu
This will allow users to use Option One and Option Two.
A) Select (dot) Not Configured. (see screenshot below)
B) Click/tap on OK, and go to step 8 below.
8 You can now close the Local Group Policy Editor.
9 Either restart the explorer.exe process, sign out and sign in, or restart the computer to apply.
You must be signed in as an administrator to use this option.
1 Do step 2 (always show), step 3 (always hide), or step 4 (default) below for what you would like to do.
2 Always Show Most Used apps list on Start Menu for All Users
This will turn on and gray out (disable) the Show most used apps setting in Option One and Option Two.
A) Click/tap on the Download button below to download the REG file below, and go to step 5 below.
Always_show_Most_Used_list_in_Start_menu_for_all_users.reg
Download
(contents of REG file for reference)
Code:
Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Explorer]
"ShowOrHideMostUsedApps"=dword:00000001
[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Explorer]
"ShowOrHideMostUsedApps"=-
[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer]
"NoStartMenuMFUprogramsList"=-
"NoInstrumentation"=-
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer]
"NoStartMenuMFUprogramsList"=-
"NoInstrumentation"=-3 Always Hide Most Used apps list on Start Menu for All Users
This will turn off and gray out (disable) the Show most used apps setting in Option One and Option Two.
A) Click/tap on the Download button below to download the REG file below, and go to step 4 below.
Always_hide_Most_Used_list_in_Start_menu_for_all_users.reg
Download
(contents of REG file for reference)
Code:
Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Explorer]
"ShowOrHideMostUsedApps"=dword:00000002
[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Explorer]
"ShowOrHideMostUsedApps"=-
[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer]
"NoStartMenuMFUprogramsList"=-
"NoInstrumentation"=-
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer]
"NoStartMenuMFUprogramsList"=-
"NoInstrumentation"=-4 Default Users Choice to Show or Hide Most Used apps list on Start Menu
This will allow users to use Option One and Option Two.
A) Click/tap on the Download button below to download the file below, and go to step 4 below.
Default_user_choice_Most_Used_list_in_Start_menu.reg
Download
(contents of REG file for reference)
Code:
Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Explorer]
"ShowOrHideMostUsedApps"=-
[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Explorer]
"ShowOrHideMostUsedApps"=-
[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer]
"NoStartMenuMFUprogramsList"=-
"NoInstrumentation"=-
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer]
"NoStartMenuMFUprogramsList"=-
"NoInstrumentation"=-5 Save the .reg file to your desktop.
6 If you have Smart App Control turned on, you will need to unblock the downloaded REG file.
7 Double click/tap on the downloaded .reg file to merge it.
8 When prompted, click/tap on Run, Yes (UAC), Yes, and OK to approve the merge.
9 Either restart the explorer.exe process, sign out and sign in, or restart the computer to apply.
10 You can now delete the downloaded .reg file if you like.
That's it,
Shawn Brink
Related Tutorials
- Open Start Menu in Windows 11
- Add or Remove All Apps Section on Start Menu in Windows 11
- Add or Remove Category View in All Apps Section on Start Menu in Windows 11
- Change Start Menu All apps View in Windows 11
- Add or Remove Recently Added apps on Start Menu in Windows 11
- Enable or Disable Recommended Files in Start, Recent Files in File Explorer, and items in Jump Lists in Windows 11
- Enable or Disable Recommended Tips, Shortcuts, New Apps, and more on Start Menu in Windows 11
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