Windows 10: Remove Quick Access totally

Hello, I'm trying to get rid of Quick Access totally since I wish to keep our family computer's operation as simple and as straight forward as possible, and Quick Access merely hinders this for it adds yet another unnecessary elaboration that I have try to explain to my wife who greatly struggles with Windows. I've tried the various methods advised, but I can't find Quick Access Options anywhere presumably this will allow me to disable Quick Access. If the most reliable method to do this involves going into the Registry whatever that is, but I know it's important please make the disabling

:)

 

Quick Access bar

Hi,

Thank you for posting your query in Microsoft Community.

We would be glad to help you with the issue you are facing today. I understand the difficulty.

Remove items from Quick access.

I would suggest you to follow the below steps.

• Right click on the file or folder.
• Select the option “unpin from the quick access”

To pin items to an item already on the quick access bar.

Follow the below steps.

I would suggest you to create folder in the desktop screen & place all the files or folder which need to pin to the quick access.

• Open the quick access.
• Select the Desktop option.
• Right click on the folder & select the option “pin to quick access”

Hope this helps in resolving the issue. If the issue persists, do get back to us. We will be happy to assist you.



Thank you.

 

Quick Access - "Location is not available"

I solved the problem without following steps 1, 2, and 3. The solution is stupidly simple and it doesn't make any difference as to whether the problem item in the Quick Access list is pinned or unpinned.

1. Create the folder in the same path where Quick Access reported it to be unlocatable. The folder will be empty.

2. Delete the folder you just created. The Quick Access item that WAS listed in Quick Access disappears!!

Note that #2 does not remove or delete the item from Quick Access. It deletes the empty folder you just created *from the machine* (i.e., it goes to the Recycle bin) and as a consequence of the deletion, it disappears from the Quick Access list.

 

Quick Access Not Working

Hi Dustin,

Thank you for writing to Microsoft Community Forums.

Follow the below steps to repair the broken database of Quick Access.

Method 1:

Before repairing the database, try to disable and then re-enable Quick Access to see if it helps. To disable and re-enable Quick Access, follow the below steps:

Step 1: To remove frequent folders and recent files list from Quick Access, open File Explorer > click on View tab in Ribbon >
click on Options > Change folder and search options to open Folder Options.

Step 2: You’ll have to uncheck the following two check-boxes present under the Privacy section to disable Quick Access:

• Show recently used files in Quick Access.
  
• Show frequently used folders in Quick Access.
  

Step 3: Click Apply and Exit. The action will instantly remove these two sections from Quick Access in File Explorer. (To clear your Quick Access history press the ‘Clear’ button against Clear File Explorer History).

Step 4: Then, check
the following two check-boxes again to enable Quick Access that you did in
Step2.

• Show recently used files in Quick Access.
  
• Show frequently used folders in Quick Access.
  

Step 5: Restart the PC once and check the issue and if the issue persist, follow the
Method 2.

Method 2:

The Method 2 will repair the broken database of Quick Access.

Step 1: Open File Explorer and paste this folder path: %AppData%\Microsoft\Windows\Recent\AutomaticDestinations in the address bar and hit Enter.

Step 2: Once the folder is opened, press ‘Ctrl’ key and the ‘A’ from your keyboard to select all of its contents and delete it.

Step 3: Do the same for this folder path as well: %AppData%\Microsoft\Windows\Recent\CustomDestinations

Step 4: Restart the PC once and check the issue.

Hope it helps.

Shafeeq Ali Khan

Microsoft Community - Moderator