Where in Windows 7 can I find the recent items menu?

Anonymous
2009-09-04T15:19:56+00:00

Where in Windows 7 can I find the recent items menu that was on the main menu in Vista.

*original title - How do I enable recent items?*

Windows for home | Previous Windows versions | Files, folders, and storage

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Anonymous
2009-09-04T17:10:45+00:00

Right click the 'Taskbar', click 'Properties' > select the 'Start Menu' tab > click 'Customize' > in the dialog displayed, check off the appropriate menu link, 'Recent Items'

Andre Da Costa http://adacosta.spaces.live.com http://www.activewin.com

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Anonymous
2010-11-06T02:41:12+00:00

I am having problems with Microsoft WORD not populating the Recent files used from it's icon on the Task Bar.  But... my excel works fine.  I have Windows 7 and Microsoft Office Professional 2007. 

I've right-clicked the Start Menu: Properties: Customize: and Selected that recent files should appear. 

Plus, I have even dragged certain documents to the task bar icon that I want pinned in Word and they will not show up. 

Hi Catjone

The behavior that you are describing can happen if the Virtual file that holds the data for a pinned programs Jump List becomes corrupted.

  1. Copy the following path.

%AppData%\Microsoft\Windows\Recent\AutomaticDestinations

Open Windows Explorer, click in the Address Bar and press the backspace key to clear the address bar.

Right click in the address bar and select Paste. Press the Enter Key. This will open the Automatic Destinations folder.

Note:  This folder is Super Hidden and this is the only way that you can access that folder.

  1. Locate the following file in that folder:  adecfb853d77462a.automaticDestinations-ms 

Right click that file and select Delete.

Exit all running programs and restart the computer.

  1. Use the Word 2007 taskbar icon to open a few random files. Exit Word.
  2. Right click the Word taskbar icon and test the Jump List.

Let us know the results.

Ronnie Vernon MVP – Windows Desktop Experience

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  1. Anonymous
    2011-01-24T09:20:40+00:00

    Hi Everyone,

    This is simple. On Windows 7, right-click the start-menu and go to 'Properties'.

    Then click on the "Customise" button and in the menu presented, make sure the "Recent Items" option is checked.

    Obviously un-check if you do not wish it displayed.

    Thanks

    Number Eleven !!

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  2. Anonymous
    2011-01-20T16:40:25+00:00

    Hi, which file is for the EXCEL recent items/pinned items?

    My Word 2007 in Windows 7 works fine with the Pinned files and recent files... My Excel 2007 USED to work, but about 1 month ago, it stopped showing the pinned and recent files when right-clicking the icon in the quick launch..

    SarahSmile

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  3. Anonymous
    2011-01-17T04:23:24+00:00

    Another approach that worked for me (finally!)--right click on the taskbar and unlock it.  The locked taskbar seems to be the problem as I experienced it when trying to enable recent items.  Then choose "properties, start menu tab, customize button" and enable the recent files link. Then, go back and relock the taskbar if you want it locked. Microsoft might have made this harder to figure out, but I'm not sure how...

    ~DeVere

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