Remove Recommended From Windows 11 Start Menu
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How to Remove Recommended From the Windows 11 Start Menu
The Recommended section in the Windows 11 Start menu shows recently opened files, newly installed apps and, on some builds, tips and suggestions. Many people would rather see only their pinned apps - or would rather not have recent file names on show when someone looks at their screen.
There are two ways to deal with it: turn off what it shows (every edition), or hide the whole section with Group Policy (Pro, Enterprise and Education). The Start menu has been changing in Windows 11 updates, so the exact switch names can differ slightly on your PC.
Option 1: Turn Off the Recommended Switches (All Editions)
- Right-click an empty part of the desktop and choose Personalize, or open Settings > Personalization.
- Select Start.
- Turn off the switches that feed Recommended. Depending on your build these include:
- Show recently added apps
- Show recommended files in Start, recent files in File Explorer, and items in Jump Lists
- Show recommendations for tips, shortcuts, new apps, and more
- Show websites from your browsing history (on builds that have it)
- Open Start to check the result.
Note the side effect of the recent files switch: it also clears recent files from Home in File Explorer and from the jump lists when you right-click taskbar icons. Your files themselves are not deleted.
On some builds the Recommended heading then stays with an empty area or a short message. On newer Start menu versions, Settings may offer separate switches for the Pinned, Recommended and All sections; if yours has them, turn off Recommended there to hide the section completely.
Give Pinned Apps More Room
On builds that offer a Layout choice on the same Settings page, pick More pins. This shrinks Recommended to one row and shows an extra row of pinned apps.
Remove Single Items
To remove one entry without changing any settings, right-click it under Recommended and choose Remove from list.
Option 2: Hide the Section With Group Policy (Pro, Enterprise, Education)
Microsoft documents a policy called Remove Recommended section from Start Menu (HideRecommendedSection) for Windows 11 version 22H2 and later on Pro, Enterprise, Education and IoT Enterprise editions. It removes the whole section, not just its contents.
- Press Windows + R, type
gpedit.mscand press Enter. - For your account only, go to User Configuration > Administrative Templates > Start Menu and Taskbar. For every user on the PC, use Computer Configuration > Administrative Templates > Start Menu and Taskbar instead.
- Double-click Remove Recommended section from Start Menu.
- Select Enabled, then Apply and OK.
- Restart the PC (or sign out and back in).
To undo it, set the policy back to Not Configured and restart.
If the Group Policy Editor does not open, your PC is running Windows 11 Home, which does not include it. Use Option 1. We do not recommend third-party "Start menu tweaker" tools or copying registry edits from forums on Home - they can break after the next Windows update, and the Settings switches are enough to empty the list.
If you manage PCs with Intune or another MDM tool, the same setting is available as the Start policy HideRecommendedSection in the Policy CSP.
Option 3: Stop Start From Tracking App Launches
Recommended and the "most used" list rely partly on Windows tracking which apps you open. To turn that off:
- Open Settings > Privacy & security > Recommendations & offers (on some builds this is under Privacy & security > General).
- Turn off Let Windows improve Start and search results by tracking app launches.
This does not hide the section by itself, but it reduces what Windows uses to fill it.
Why Recommended Can Come Back
A major Windows update can add new Start menu options that are on by default. After a big update, open Settings > Personalization > Start again and check the switches. The Group Policy setting survives updates.
Other Start Menu and Taskbar Fixes
If your Start menu shows other items you did not ask for, see how to remove Accessibility from the Windows 11 Start menu. If Start and the taskbar look like Windows 10 after an update, see why Windows 11 looks like Windows 10, and if the taskbar has jumped to the side of the screen, see taskbar moved to the side.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Can I remove the Recommended section on Windows 11 Home?
Home has no Group Policy Editor, so the officially supported way is to turn off the Recommended switches in Settings > Personalization > Start. That empties the list. Whether the empty section itself disappears depends on your Windows 11 build and Start menu version.
Will hiding Recommended delete my recent files?
No. It only stops Start from showing them. Your files stay where they are and you can still find them in File Explorer.
Why does Recommended still show after I turned everything off?
On many builds the heading stays even when the list is empty. To hide the whole section, Windows 11 Pro, Enterprise and Education can use the Remove Recommended section from Start Menu policy.
How do I get the Recommended section back?
Turn the switches in Settings > Personalization > Start back on. If you used Group Policy, set Remove Recommended section from Start Menu to Not Configured and restart the PC.
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