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
    2023-11-19T17:54:57+00:00

    Thanks much for that answer. I spent over an hour trying to get quick access back after applying the November updates yesterday. I also depend heavily on Quick access to toggle back and forth through my most commonly used folders. I have to wonder what genius at Microsoft decided to automatically hide this most useful feature and why they would do this to their users without warning. I do IT support for a living and I'm sure I'll have to fix this for many users,

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  2. Anonymous
    2023-11-20T15:11:56+00:00

    This was only partially helpful, the solution that worked for me was to clear the aforementioned folder caches as well as to unselect the following folder option:

    "Include account-based insights, recent, favorite, and recommended files

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  3. Anonymous
    2023-11-20T16:03:12+00:00

    Yes this worked!

    UN-Check the "Show Recommended" section.

    This worked perfectly!

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  4. Anonymous
    2023-11-20T16:18:46+00:00

    This doesn't work for the following reason:

    Show recommended section is greyed out permanently.

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