How to Turn Recent Items On or Off in Windows 7

Recent Items is a list of your recently used files on the right side of the Start Menu, Taskbar Windows Explorer icon link, in the Navigaton Pane Recent Places, and in Jump Lists. This will show you how to turn Recent Items on or off in Windows 7.

C:\Users\(User Name)\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Recent Items

If you go to the Recent Items folder location above and you have a yellow folder named Recent instead of one named Recent Items with a icon, then right click on the Recent folder and click Delete. Type shell:recent in the white line (Start Search) area of the Start Menu and press Enter. Logoff and logon, or restart the computer, to rebuild the folder back to the default Recent Items. Recent Items will not function correctly if is not set as the default Recent Items folder.

 Turn Recent Items On or Off

1. Right click on the Start button and click on Properties.

2. To Turn Recent Items On.

A) Check the Store and display recently opened items in the Start menu and the taskbar box.
(See screenshot below step 4)

 NOTE: If you just turned on Recent Items, then it may take a bit after opening the recents items a few times before they actually show up.

B) Go to step 4.

 3. To Turn Recent Items Off

A) Uncheck the Store and display recently opened items in the Start menu and the taskbar box. (See screenshot below step 4)


4. Click on OK. (See screenshot below)

Add or Remove Recent Items from the Start Menu

NOTE: This will allow you to add or remove the Recent Items button from the right dark side of the Start Menu. If you add it, then you will need to turn on Recent Items on OPTION ONE above to have them listed.

1. Open the Start Menu Customize window.

2. Scroll down a bit, and check the Recent Items box, and click on OK. (See screenshot below)

3. Click on OK.