How To Disable Quick Access In Windows 10

Quick Access is a feature in Windows 10 that allows you to easily access your frequently used folders and recent files. For some users, this feature can be handy, while for others, it may seem like a privacy concern or a nuisance. If you belong to the latter group, you’re in luck! In this blog post, we will walk you through the steps to disable Quick Access in Windows 10.

Disable Quick Access from File Explorer Options

Follow these simple steps to disable Quick Access:

  1. Press Windows key + E to open File Explorer.
  2. Click on the View tab located at the top of the File Explorer window.
  3. Next, click on Options (or Folder Options, depending on your Windows version) on the far right of the ribbon.
  4. This will open the Folder Options dialog box. In the General tab, look for the Privacy section.
  5. Uncheck the boxes next to “Show recently used files in Quick access” and “Show frequently used folders in Quick access.”
  6. Click Apply and then OK to save your changes.

That’s it! You have successfully disabled Quick Access in Windows 10. The Quick Access section should no longer appear in your File Explorer.

Change File Explorer Default to This PC

After disabling Quick Access, you might want to change the default view that appears when you open File Explorer. By default, it opens to the Quick Access view, but you can change it to “This PC” to show your devices and drives instead. Follow these steps:

  1. Press Windows key + E to open File Explorer.
  2. Click on the View tab located at the top of the File Explorer window.
  3. Next, click on Options (or Folder Options, depending on your Windows version) on the far right of the ribbon.
  4. This will open the Folder Options dialog box. In the General tab, look for the Open File Explorer to: dropdown menu.
  5. Select This PC from the dropdown menu.
  6. Click Apply and then OK to save your changes.

Now, whenever you open File Explorer, the default view will be “This PC” instead of Quick Access.

Conclusion

If Quick Access in Windows 10 isn’t your cup of tea, disabling it is a simple process. By following the steps above, you can remove Quick Access from your File Explorer and customize the default view to your preference. If you ever want to revert these changes, simply follow the same steps and re-enable the options you disabled. Happy computing!