Disable Quick Access in Windows 10 File Explorer
To disable Quick Access in Windows 10 File Explorer, open File Explorer, click the View tab, then Options, and under the General tab change both “Open File Explorer to” and “Show recently used files in Quick Access” settings. This stops File Explorer from opening to Quick Access and removes the recent files list, though the Quick Access folder itself remains in the sidebar.
What Is Quick Access and Why Disable It?
Quick Access is a feature introduced in Windows 10 that replaces the old Favorites section in File Explorer. It shows two things: a list of folders you frequently use (pinned or automatically added) and a list of recently opened files. For many users, this is convenient, but others find it a privacy concern—especially on shared computers—or simply prefer the classic “This PC” view. Disabling it doesn’t remove the feature entirely; it just stops the automatic behavior.
How to Turn Off Quick Access (Step-by-Step)
- Open File Explorer (Win + E).
- Click the View tab at the top.
- Click Options on the far right (it looks like a folder icon).
- In the General tab, under “Open File Explorer to,” select This PC from the dropdown.
- Under “Privacy,” uncheck Show recently used files in Quick Access and Show frequently used folders in Quick Access.
- Click Apply and then OK.
After this, File Explorer opens to This PC, and the Quick Access view will no longer show recent files or auto-populated folders. Any folders you manually pinned will still appear in the Quick Access section of the sidebar.
What If You Want to Remove Quick Access Completely?
If you want to remove the Quick Access entry from the navigation pane entirely, you can do so by editing the Windows Registry. This is a more advanced step, and you should back up your registry first. Here’s how:
- Press Win + R, type
regedit, and press Enter. - Navigate to
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Advanced. - Find the DWORD value named LaunchTo and set it to
1(this makes File Explorer open to This PC). - To hide Quick Access from the sidebar, you need to add a new DWORD value. Right-click on the Advanced key, choose New > DWORD (32-bit) Value, name it
HideQuickAccess, and set its value to1. - Restart File Explorer (or sign out and back in) for the change to take effect.
Note that this registry tweak hides Quick Access from the navigation pane, but it doesn’t delete the feature. If you ever want it back, set HideQuickAccess to 0 or delete the value.
Common Problems and Fixes
- Quick Access keeps reappearing after reboot: This can happen if a Group Policy or an app resets the setting. Check if you have a third-party utility that manages File Explorer settings.
- “Show recently used files” is grayed out: This occurs when the Recent Documents history is disabled via Group Policy or if you have a clean-up tool that clears it. You can enable it again by going to
gpedit.msc(Pro/Enterprise only) and navigating to User Configuration > Administrative Templates > Start Menu and Taskbar, then setting “Remove recent items list from Start Menu” to Disabled. - Quick Access still shows old items: Even after unchecking the boxes, the Quick Access folder may still display previously pinned items. Right-click on any item and select “Remove from Quick Access” to clear them manually.
Comparison: Quick Access vs. This PC as Default
Quick Access is designed to show you your most-used folders and recent files, making it faster to jump back to your work. This PC shows the classic drives and folders (Desktop, Documents, Downloads, etc.) and is more traditional. If you work with many different files, Quick Access can save time. If you prefer a predictable, static view, This PC is better. There’s no performance difference—it’s purely about workflow preference.
Privacy and Security Considerations
On a shared computer, Quick Access can reveal what files you’ve been working on to anyone who opens File Explorer. Disabling the recent files list is a simple privacy measure. However, remember that the actual file paths are still accessible via the Windows search history and the recent items in the Start menu (if enabled). For stronger privacy, you can also clear the File Explorer history by going to Options > General > Privacy and clicking “Clear” under “Clear File Explorer history.”
Alternatives to Disabling Quick Access
If you don’t want to disable Quick Access entirely, you can:
- Pin only the folders you need and remove the auto-populated ones. Right-click a folder and choose “Pin to Quick Access.”
- Clear the history regularly using the “Clear” button in Options.
- Use a different default view like This PC, but keep Quick Access available in the sidebar for occasional use.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does disabling Quick Access speed up File Explorer?
No. Quick Access loads quickly; it’s just a list of shortcuts and recent files. Disabling it won’t make File Explorer faster, but it may feel more responsive if you have a very large number of recent files that need to be enumerated.
Can I disable Quick Access for all users on a computer?
Yes, but it requires Group Policy (Windows 10 Pro/Enterprise) or registry edits. In Group Policy, go to User Configuration > Administrative Templates > Start Menu and Taskbar, and enable “Remove recent items list from Start Menu” and “Remove frequent folders from Quick Access.” For all users, you’d need to apply the policy to each user or use a script.
Why does Quick Access show folders I’ve never opened?
Windows automatically adds folders it considers “frequent” based on your usage patterns, even if you only accessed them once. You can remove them by right-clicking and selecting “Remove from Quick Access.”
Will disabling Quick Access affect my pinned folders?
No. Pinned folders remain in the Quick Access section of the sidebar. Disabling the recent files and frequent folders only stops the automatic additions.
How do I reset Quick Access to its default state?
You can clear the entire Quick Access history by going to Options > General > Privacy and clicking “Clear” under “Clear File Explorer history.” This removes all recent files and folders, but it doesn’t remove pinned items. To remove pinned items, right-click each one and choose “Unpin from Quick Access.”
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