Hey there! If you’re like most Windows 11 users, you’ve probably noticed that when you open the Start menu, there’s a section called “Recommended” that shows apps, files, or documents Windows thinks you might want to access quickly. While this can be helpful sometimes, it can also feel a little cluttered or even unnecessary. If you’re not a fan of seeing these recommendations, don’t worry—you can turn them off!
In this guide, I’ll walk you through the simple steps to remove Start menu recommendations in Windows 11. Even if you’re new to computers, don’t sweat it—it’s a quick and easy process. Let’s get started!
Step 1: Open the Settings App
The first thing you need to do is open the Settings app. There are two easy ways to do this:
- Option 1: Click on the Start menu (the Windows icon at the bottom of your screen), then select the Settings gear icon.
- Option 2: You can press the Windows key + I on your keyboard, which is a handy shortcut to open Settings directly.
Step 2: Navigate to Personalization Settings
Once you’re in the Settings app, you’ll see a bunch of different categories. To remove those recommendations, we need to focus on the Personalization section. Here’s what to do:
- In the Settings app, look for Personalization in the left-hand menu and click on it.
- On the right side, scroll down a little and click on Start. This is where we can tweak the Start menu settings.
Step 3: Turn Off Recommendations
Now that you’re in the Start settings, you’ll see a few options related to the Start menu. You’ll want to turn off a couple of toggles to remove the recommendations:
- Show recently added apps – If you don’t want Windows to show apps you’ve recently installed, flip this switch off.
- Show most used apps – This toggle controls whether or not Windows highlights the apps you use most often. You can turn it off too if you’d prefer a cleaner Start menu.
- Show recently opened items in Start, Jump Lists, and File Explorer – This is the big one for removing files or documents from the Recommended section. Switch this off, and you’ll no longer see recently opened files in the Start menu.
Step 4: Check Your Start Menu
After turning off those options, go ahead and open your Start menu again. You should notice that the Recommended section is either empty or much less cluttered. If it’s still showing a few things, don’t worry! Windows might keep showing a couple of items temporarily, but over time, the recommendations will disappear since you’ve disabled the feature.
Wrapping It Up
You’ve successfully turned off the Start menu recommendations in Windows 11. From now on, your Start menu will feel cleaner and more organized, showing only the things you want to see.
If you ever change your mind and want to bring the recommendations back, just follow the same steps and flip the switches back on. Easy, right?
Got any other Windows 11 questions? Feel free to ask in the comments below, and I’ll be happy to help!