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
    2011-08-01T14:38:04+00:00

    I am having the same issue, but with Excel. Should I delete the same file - adecfb853d77462a.automaticDestinations-ms ?

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  2. Anonymous
    2011-08-01T16:38:47+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

    Great job!  THis worked great and I have been putting up with this problem for months!

    I tried this and it did not work. In addition, if I look for -ms file it no longer exists. I have Windows 7 and Microsoft Office 2010 Professional Plus and all the other programs I have pinned to the taskbar show the recent and pinned items, but not Word.

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  3. Anonymous
    2011-08-01T17:52:57+00:00

    This didn't work.

    I tried it first, and it didn't work.

    Then I uninstalled and reinstalled Office 2010 - and still no luck!

    The file reference above (adec.....-ms) does not exist in that folder on my computer.

    I still cannot pin / access recent files via the toolbar.

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