Windows 10: How to block Quick Access from displaying folders and files dynamically in Windows 10 and 11

Microsoft introduced Quick Access in Windows 10 and has kept the feature in the recently released Windows 11 operating system. Quick Access replaced the Favorites system in File Explorer. One of the core differences between the two features is that Quick Access adds a dynamic component to its listings.



Some folders are displayed permanently while others are displayed based on use. Pinned folders are displayed with a pin-icon, dynamic folders without such an icon. You can check out my comparison between favorites and quick access here for additional details.

Quick Access is more powerful than Favorites, but the dynamic folder listing adds a chaotic element to it. It may happen that folders do get displayed that are of no use or should not be displayed prominently in File Explorer. Good news is that it is easy to disable Quick Access' dynamic component without losing the ability to pin folders to File Explorer for fast access.

Block Windows from displaying folders and files automatically using Quick Access in File Explorer




Quick Access's adding of folders and files dynamically to File Explorer can be turned off directly in the file manager. Here is how that is done:

1. Open File Explorer on the Windows device.
2. The next step depends on whether you are running Windows 10 or 11:
   • Windows 10: Right-click on Quick Access in the File Explorer sidebar and select Options, or, select File > Change folder and search options.
   • Windows 11: Right-click on Quick Access in the File Explorer sidebar and select Show More Options > Options, or select Menu (three-dots) > Options.
3. The privacy part of the window that opens displays three preferences that are related to Quick Access:
   • Show recently used files in Quick Access -- determines whether recently used files are displayed in File Explorer.
   • Show frequently used folders in Quick Access -- determines whether frequently used files are displayed in File Explorer.
   • Clear File Explorer history -- removes the history, which lets you start from scratch when it comes to the display of recent files and frequent folders in Explorer.
4. Uncheck "show recently used files in Quick Access" and "show frequently used folders in Quick Access" to turn off the dynamic component.
5. You may also change the startpage of File Explorer from Quick Access to This PC using the "Open File Explorer to" option at the top of the Folder Options window.
6. Select Apply and then OK to complete the operation.

Doing so leaves all pinned folders in Explorer but removes any file or folder that is displayed based on use. You may still pin folders to Quick Access after disabling the two features.

Now You: do you use Quick Access on your Windows devices?

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Windows 10 Tweaks

Pressing “Windows+Pause Break” (it’s up there next to scroll lock) opens the “System” Window.

Windows 10: In the new version of Windows, Explorer has a section called Quick Access. This includes your frequent folders and recent files. Explorer defaults to opening this page when you open a new window. If you’d rather open the usual This PC, with links to your drives and library folders, follow these steps:

• Open a new Explorer window.
• Click View in the ribbon.
• Click Options.
• Under General, next to “Open File Explorer to:” choose “This PC.”
• Click OK

credit to Lifehacker.

 

Issues with the quick access in Windows 10

I have the same question as the original poster. I have seen several replies to basically the same question on this forum, all clearly
misunderstanding the question.

First - I like the Quick Access feature in WIndows 10. I have made good use of it, pinning several of my most often accessed folders to it. I have 11 folders pinned right now in the "Frequent folders" list.

Pinning and unpinning folders is well understood, as is the option to select or de-select "Show frequently used folders in Quick access."

The question that the original poster and I have is how can we increase the number of unpinned folders displayed in the Frequent folders list in Quick access? The number of unpinned folders that dynamically change based on recent history is 4, regardless
of the number of pinned folders.

Based on my work habits, I am satisfied with the 11 pinned folders I have, but would like to increase the number of unpinned (dynamically changing) folders to 15 in the Frequent folders list in Quick access. Currently I have 15 folders in my Frequent folders
list (11 pinned, 4 unpinned). I would like to change this to 26 (11 pinned, 15 unpinned). How can this be done? Is there a value in the Registry that governs the number of unpinned folders appearing in this list?

Similarly, I may also be interested in changing the number of Recent files from the current value of 20.

Hopefully the question is clear.

 

Quick Access not searching Pictures folder

Summary, that last suggestion didn't work.

• I moved the pictures to another folder temporarily.

• Then I tried to remove the Pictures folder with option one at Add or Remove Folders from This PC in Windows 10 | Windows 10 Tutorials. Even after rebooting, the Pictures folder remained.
• So I tried using option two. Same thing: reboot >> Pictures folder still there.

• Since there were no troubleshooting steps for this scenario, just for the heck of it, I ran through the restore steps. Copied some pictures into the Pictures folder, ran a Quick Access search and initial problem remains: Searching all of QA doesn't find any files in Pictures folder, running search on just the Pictures folder does. I want to run a global search and find matching files in any/all of the Documents, Music, Videos, and Pictures folders.

That article dates from 2015 and I'm guessing is out of date. I hope it didn't create potential future problems in my registry.

Bottom line: I'm still looking for a fix.