Reclaim Your Start Menu: Banishing Windows 11's Recommended Section

The Problem: Microsoft’s Unwanted “Recommendations”

If you’ve upgraded to Windows 11, you’ve probably noticed that Microsoft has decided what you should see every time you open the Start Menu. The “Recommended” section—ostensibly designed to help you quickly access recent files and apps—has become one of the most universally despised features of the new UI.

Why is this section so problematic?

• Privacy concerns: It broadcasts your recent activity to anyone glancing at your screen
• Wasted screen real estate: Takes up valuable space that could display more pinned apps
• Questionable recommendations: Often surfaces files you opened once and never want to see again
• No native disable option: Microsoft deliberately omitted a simple toggle in Settings

But here’s the good news: we can fight back using the Windows Registry.

The Solution: Registry-Based Removal

Windows Registry is the hierarchical database that stores low-level settings for the operating system and installed applications. By modifying specific registry keys, we can override Microsoft’s UI decisions and reclaim our Start Menu.

The Complete Registry Script

Create a new text file, paste the following content, save it with a .reg extension (e.g., remove-recommended.reg), and double-click to apply:

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

; Hide the Recommended section via Explorer policy
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Explorer]
"HideRecommendedSection"=dword:00000001

; Enforce the policy via PolicyManager
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\PolicyManager\current\device\Start]
"HideRecommendedSection"=dword:00000001

; Mark environment as educational (removes promotional content)
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\PolicyManager\current\device\Education]
"IsEducationEnvironment"=dword:00000001

; Change start menu layout to show more pins (0=Default, 1=More pins, 2=More recommendations)
[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Advanced]
"Start_Layout"=dword:00000001

Understanding Each Registry Modification

Let’s break down what each section does:

1. Explorer Policy (HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Explorer)

This is the primary kill switch. The HideRecommendedSection DWORD value tells Windows Explorer to completely suppress the rendering of the Recommended section. Setting it to 1 activates the policy.

2. PolicyManager Enforcement (HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\PolicyManager\current\device\Start)

Modern Windows uses PolicyManager as a central policy enforcement mechanism. This registry path ensures that even if Windows Explorer tries to ignore the first setting, the system-wide policy manager will enforce our preference. This redundancy is crucial because Windows updates sometimes reset individual policies.

3. Education Environment Flag (HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\PolicyManager\current\device\Education)

Here’s a clever trick: by marking your system as an “Education Environment,” you trigger a different behavior profile. Educational institutions demanded cleaner interfaces without promotional content, and Microsoft obliged. We’re piggybacking on their requirements to clean up our own systems.

4. Start Layout Preference (HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Advanced)

This setting controls the overall Start Menu layout. The three possible values are:

• 0: Default (balanced view)
• 1: More pins (maximizes app grid, our choice)
• 2: More recommendations (why would you want this?)

By selecting option 1, we ensure that even if some recommendations slip through, they’ll occupy minimal space.

Important Notes

⚠️ Administrator privileges required: Registry modifications under HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE require admin rights. Right-click the .reg file and select “Run as administrator” if prompted.

🔄 Restart Explorer: After applying the registry changes, restart Windows Explorer to see immediate effects:

Stop-Process -Name explorer -Force

💾 Backup first: Before modifying the registry, consider creating a system restore point. While these changes are safe and reversible, it’s always good practice.

The Results

After applying these registry modifications and restarting Explorer, your Start Menu will be transformed:

Notice how much cleaner and more functional the interface becomes. You get:

• ✅ More space for pinned applications
• ✅ Cleaner, distraction-free interface
• ✅ Better privacy (no recent files displayed)
• ✅ Faster workflow (no scrolling past recommendations)

Alternative Methods

If you prefer not to manually edit the registry, here are some alternatives:

Method 1: Group Policy Editor (Windows Pro/Enterprise only)

1. Press Win + R, type gpedit.msc
2. Navigate to: Computer Configuration → Administrative Templates → Start Menu and Taskbar
3. Enable “Remove Recommended section from Start Menu”

Method 2: PowerShell One-Liner

For the command-line enthusiasts:

Set-ItemProperty -Path "HKLM:\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Explorer" -Name "HideRecommendedSection" -Value 1 -Type DWord -Force
Stop-Process -Name explorer -Force

Method 3: Third-Party Tools

Tools like ExplorerPatcher or Start11 offer GUI-based customization, though they introduce additional dependencies.

Reverting the Changes

Changed your mind? Simply create another .reg file with these contents to restore defaults:

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Explorer]
"HideRecommendedSection"=-

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\PolicyManager\current\device\Start]
"HideRecommendedSection"=-

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\PolicyManager\current\device\Education]
"IsEducationEnvironment"=-

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Advanced]
"Start_Layout"=dword:00000000

The minus sign (-) after the value name deletes the registry entry.

Conclusion

Microsoft’s design decisions don’t have to be your design decisions. With a few registry modifications, you can transform Windows 11’s Start Menu from an advertising billboard into the efficient app launcher it should have been from the start.

Your computer, your rules. 🚀

Tested on Windows 11 22H2 and 23H2. Registry paths may vary in future Windows versions.