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

Locked Question. This question was migrated from the Microsoft Support Community. You can vote on whether it's helpful, but you can't add comments or replies or follow the question.

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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
    2024-08-21T18:50:26+00:00

    I FIGURED IT OUT!!!!

    SO, Go to your file explorer.

    Click on the three dots (...) next to view.

    Click on Options

    Click on the VIEW tab

    Scroll to the bottom and UNCLICK all of the options under the Navigation section at the very bottom! Unless you need one of the options of course.

    Your pinned items will now show up at the top and you don't have to click home to find them!

    Hope this helps!

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  2. Anonymous
    2024-02-26T11:02:53+00:00

    I FIXED MINE, HOPE THIS HELPS!

    Hi

    Hope my response will help someone out there. Here's what I did to fix mine.

    Step 1: Open File Explorer>Click the ellipses (three dots ... next to the View menu)>Click Options>Under General tab>Uncheck "Show recommended section"

    Step 2: Restart your machine/computer. Important: Otherwise the Navigation pane in File Explorer behaves erratically (at least mine did)

    Step 3: Login to your machine/computer>Open File Explorer>Click to expand the Home icon (under the Desktop icon) in the Navigation Pane. Home icon is usually the second icon on the top left in the Navigation Pane. This is where Quick Access folders live.

    Hope this helps.

    Cheers

    Shakeel

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  3. Anonymous
    2023-12-07T15:59:28+00:00

    Microsoft should stop fixing things that ain't broken!

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  4. 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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