Quick Access is a helpful feature in Windows 10 that allows you to easily access recently used files and frequently visited folders. However, if you find this feature cluttering your File Explorer or if you need more control over the files and folders displayed, you may want to disable Quick Access. In this blog post, we will show you how to stop Quick Access in Windows 10.
Steps to Disable Quick Access in Windows 10
1. Open File Explorer Options
To begin, you will need to access the File Explorer Options window. To do this, open File Explorer by pressing Windows key + E or by clicking the folder icon on your taskbar.
Next, click on the “View” tab in the Ribbon Menu and then click on “Options” located on the far right side of the Ribbon.
2. Change Folder Options Settings
In the Folder Options window, you will see two dropdown menus under the “Privacy” section. To disable Quick Access, make the following changes:
- Change the “Open File Explorer to:” dropdown menu to “This PC” instead of “Quick access”. This will make File Explorer open to the “This PC” view rather than Quick Access.
- Uncheck the boxes for “Show recently used files in Quick access” and “Show frequently used folders in Quick access” to stop File Explorer from automatically tracking and displaying these items.
Once you’ve made these changes, click “Apply” and then “OK” to save your changes and close the Folder Options window.
3. Clear File Explorer History (Optional)
If you would like to remove any existing history of recently used files and frequently visited folders, you can clear File Explorer history as well. To do this, follow these steps:
- Go back to the Folder Options window following the steps mentioned in step 1.
- Click on the “Clear” button located in the “Privacy” section of the General tab. This will clear your File Explorer history, including Quick Access data.
- Click “Apply” and then “OK” to save your changes and close the Folder Options window.
Conclusion
By following these simple steps, you can stop Quick Access in Windows 10 and have more control over the files and folders displayed in your File Explorer. If you ever wish to re-enable this feature, simply follow the same steps and recheck the boxes for “Show recently used files in Quick access” and “Show frequently used folders in Quick access” in the Folder Options window.
