If you have recently upgraded to the Windows 10, you would have noticed that the Microsoft has replaced Favorite option with a new option named as Quick Access. You can view the Quick Access at the top left side when you open the File Explorer. Tip: Press Windows Key E to open File Explorer. The Quick Access feature has two subsections named as Recent Folders and Recent Files. The recent folder section will show the most recently accessed folders and the recent file section will list all the files that you have accessed recently. Also, read how to create custom run command in Windows 10. So, when you open the File Explorer, by default, you will be taken to Quick Access rather than showing This PC section. The Quick Access feature is indeed a handy feature in Windows 10 and an ideal feature for someone like me who has to upload 100s of files and images daily to my blogs. I save article related images and screenshots in different folders belonging to different blogs. So, when I try to upload these files, I have to open the specific folder and wait until the PC display the last saved file. However, this becomes easy if I directly navigate to the Quick access option and select and upload all the recently edited / saved files at once. I have a personal computer and no else access the system. However, for the people who share their computer with others including family and friends may not find the Quick Access feature in Windows 10 very convenient. As it could be a threat to your privacy. So, if you have a shared computer at home here is how to hide recent files from Quick Access in Windows 10. Hide Recent Files from Quick Access in Windows 10 There are two ways to hide recent files from Quick access in Windows 10. The first method is to make changes to the Privacy settings of the File Explorer option and the second method is to make File Explorer open to This PC / My Computer rather than Quick access. Let’s have a look at both the methods and how to make it possible. Method 1: Hide Recent Files from Quick Access Press Windows Key E to open File Explorer. Alternatively, click the Folder icon on your taskbar to open File Explorer. Click on File at the top left and select Change folder and search options. It will open a Folder Options dialogue box. Click the General Tab. Under Privacy section, uncheck Show recently used files in Quick Access. If you want to hide the frequently used folders from the Quick Access, then uncheck the Show frequently used a folder in Quick Access. Click on Apply and OK to save the changes. Now open the File Explorer again and you will see no traces of the recently used files and folders. Method 2: Open File Explorer to This PC/ My Computer If you don’t want to open File Explorer to Quick Access, then you can make File Explorer open to This PC and view the drives rather than Quick Access folder and files. Here is how to do it. Open File Explorer by pressing Windows Key E. Click on File and select Change Folders and search options. When the Folder Options window opens, click the drop down menu in front of Open File Explorer to and select This PC. Click Apply and then OK to save the changes. Close the File Explorer and open it again. This time, you will be taken to This PC instead of Quick Access option in Windows 10. Tip: You can also remove individual recently used files from the Quick Access option by right-clicking on the file and select Remove from the Quick Access
