How to clear out ‘Recommended’ section in your Windows 11 Start menu for a cleaner look

Windows 11’s “Recommended” section can make the Start menu feel cluttered. With a few quick settings changes, you can hide recent files and apps.

Windows 11’s Start menu has a mostly clean, modern look, but not everyone is a fan of the “Recommended” section that sits at the bottom. This area is meant to help you jump back into recently opened files or apps, but for many, it just feels like unnecessary clutter. If you’d rather keep your Start menu focused on the apps you actually use, you can hide most of what shows up in “Recommended” with a few quick tweaks.

Turning off recommendations in Windows 11’s Start menu gives you more space for pinned apps and a tidier desktop experience. (Unsplash)

By Bharat Sharma

It's an exciting time to be in love in with tech - whether it is AI solutions, the pace of gadget development, and other related technologies. As a tech journalist, I believe it has the potential to solve all of world's problems if used holistically, and my job is make to it more relatable and understandable.

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What is the ‘Recommended’ section and why is it there?

Microsoft added the “Recommended” section to make it easier to find files and apps you’ve used recently. In theory, it’s a shortcut to your workflow. In practice, it often ends up displaying files you don’t want front and centre, or suggesting apps you never asked for. For those who value a tidy workspace or share their computer with others, this can be more annoying than helpful.

Can you remove it entirely?

As of now, Windows 11 doesn’t let you completely remove the “Recommended” section from the Start menu. The section itself will remain, but you can empty it out so it doesn’t show any files or apps. This is the best way to reclaim space for your pinned apps and keep things looking neat.

Step-by-step: How to hide recommendations

1. Open Start settings
   Click your Start button. In the menu that appears, right-click the empty space between your pinned apps and the “All apps” button. Choose Start settings from the pop-up menu. You can also get there by opening Settings, selecting Personalisation, and then Start.
2. Turn off recent and recommended items
   In the Start settings, you’ll see three options you can toggle off:
   • Show recently added apps
   • Show most used apps
   • Show recently opened items in Start, Jump Lists, and File Explorer
     
     Switch all three to Off. This stops Windows from displaying recent apps and files in the Start menu and elsewhere.
3. Switch to ‘More pins’ layout
   At the top of the Start settings, you’ll see layout choices: “Default,” “More pins,” and “More recommendations.” Select More pins. This gives you extra space for your pinned apps and shrinks the “Recommended” area as much as possible.

What happens next?

With these settings changed, your “Recommended” section will be empty. The space won’t disappear entirely, but you’ll see more of your pinned apps and far fewer distractions. If you ever want to bring back the recommendations, just revisit the same settings and turn the toggles back on.

Extra tips and considerations

• Privacy: This adjustment is especially useful if you share your PC, since it keeps your recent activity private.
• No permanent removal: There’s no official way to collapse or remove the “Recommended” section completely, and third-party tools or registry hacks aren’t recommended as they can cause issues with future updates.
• Easy to change back: If you miss seeing your recent files, you can always switch the toggles back on.