I cannot find Quick Access in the new updated file explorer.

Anonymous
2023-09-27T14:02:02+00:00

I completed the latest Windows update this morning and opened File Explorer, and the quick access was missing. I can still add files to quick access, but it is nowhere to be seen. When I search the internet, they refer to how great the new file explorer is. Without quick access, it is pretty useless to me, and I want to find out how to get it back.

I do not have AAD. However, the descriptions I see on the internet imply that I am looking at the AAD version and not the consumer version. A lot of the information to describe the new file explorer states the following "Users signed in with Azure Active Directory (AAD) will see a recommended files strip with thumbnail previews. Consumer devices will only show the “Quick Access”, “Favorites” and “Recent” sections."

I wish to see the “Quick Access”, “Favorites” and “Recent” sections." but cannot work out how to do it.

Windows for home | Windows 11 | Windows update

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Anonymous
2023-09-29T08:01:11+00:00

Hi,
Same problem here.
Under Privacy, here is just no such setting. All I can see is:
Image

What can I do now? I just can't pin anything. Can't add folders to Home. Best I can do is pin them to Start which is far from ideal.

Thanks

Quentin

I fixed this by un-checking the Show Recommended Section option.

Quick access tiles are back, but they are now arranged in a horizontal list. Seems like a couple of bugs here. But at least I have my quick action icons back.

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  1. Anonymous
    2023-12-08T20:26:21+00:00

    This was the response that Helped! Thank you.

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  2. Anonymous
    2023-12-08T20:24:48+00:00

    I tried this and it did not work. First of all, there was no "Privacy" section when I opened the "Options" tab which was not in the "View" section but it was the (...) 3 dots section.

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  3. Anonymous
    2023-12-08T18:01:14+00:00

    I genuinely thank the genius who discovered the fix by unchecking the useless new features. Also surprised to see that this issue has been going on for a year.

    I eventually got the quick access back under the Home toolbar, like the old time. Here is exactly what I did:

    1. Like others said, unchecking Show Recommendation Section brought back quick access in the display window when you click Home toolbar.
    2. Uncheck all the tabs under Privacy, nothing changed
    3. Recheck Show Recently Used Files and Show frequently used folders, this brought back the quick access under Home toolbar.

    Here are my final view and final settings, noticed that now the Show Recommendation Section gray out.

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  4. Anonymous
    2023-12-08T16:30:29+00:00

    This worked for me, too - unchecking the Show Recommended Section option.

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