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
    2015-10-31T11:59:42+00:00

    Has anyone got a got an answer to the original question yet: "Where in Windows 7 can I find the recent items menu that was on the main menu in Vista."?

    The Properties menu in neither Taskbar nor Taskbat>Start Menu contain an option to restore it as stated in the original answer. I have checked the Privacy settings for the options to remember files and these were always ticked.

    (I know its possible to restore the Recent Items list as it was like this until about a month ago when I "upgraded" to Windows 10, which completely trashed my system when it inflicted the October update on my system - locked it in a continuous reboot loop which needed a clean reinstall of W7 from the disc to rectify, and I'm still trying to get my old settings back...)

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  2. Anonymous
    2017-04-18T14:49:37+00:00

    That file isn't in that location- Automatic Destinations

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  3. Anonymous
    2017-04-19T04:53:04+00:00

    Hi Shanua

    There are a couple of procedures you can use to make the Jump Lists start working again. The following is usually the one that works best.

    1. Locate and delete any Jump List files that are over 1MB in size.

    a. Open Windows Explorer and Copy / Paste the following path in the Address Bar.

    %AppData%\Microsoft\Windows\Recent\AutomaticDestinations

    Press Enter.

    b. In the Size column look for any of the xxxxx.automaticDestinations-ms files that are over 1MB in size. If you find any, right click those files and select Delete.

    c. Copy / Paste the following path in the Address Bar

    %AppData%\Microsoft\Windows\Recent\CustomDestinations

    Press Enter.

    Repeat this same process in that folder.

    NOTE: A file size over 1MB can indicate that the file is corrupted. This can affect the other files in that folder. The file sizes are shown in KB (Kilobytes) so look for a file size of over 1,000KB.

    Let us know the results.

    Regards

    Ronnie,

    Success after I followed 2 of the suggestions ( 1 was yours).

    I deleted the AutomaticDestinations (I had 2) over 1MB and restarted. I still had the problem

    I then repaired my Office 2010 and restarted.

    The recent items on the start menu and the taskbar were being populated and I was able to pin the Excel files.

    Thank you

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