Windows 10: How to Hide Favorites, Frequent Folders and Recent Files in File Explorer?

In Windows 10 Preview, when you open File Explorer, by default it shows ‘Favorites‘, Frequent Folders, and Recent Files. If you don’t want to see them in File Explorer,  you can easily hide them, here is how.

File Explorer Windows 10 thumb Windows 10: How to Hide Favorites, Frequent Folders and Recent Files in File Explorer?

Hiding Favorites, Frequent Folders, and Recent Files in File Explorer on Windows 10

1. Right click on the taskbar, select ‘Properties’, click on the Start Menu tab and uncheck ‘Store and display recently opened items in the Start menu and the taskbar’ (second one),

Tasbar and start menu properties thumb Windows 10: How to Hide Favorites, Frequent Folders and Recent Files in File Explorer?

2. Click ‘OK’ to apply.

3. This clears Frequent folders and Recent Files, but Favorites will still be shown, to hide it, click on Favorites to select, right click on it and select ‘Properties’, once the Properties dialog opens, select ‘Hidden’ and click ‘OK’

Now When you open File Explorer, it shows ‘This folder is empty’ message.

Enable Hidden Explorer UI Animations in Windows 7 & 8 with AniExplorer

Bonus tip: You can set navigation pane not to show ‘favorites’ by selecting ‘Show favorites’ from the View menu.

Have you found this Windows 10 tip useful?

Venkat Eswarlu

Venkat is an independent technology journalist and the founder of Techdows. He has been covering web browsers, Windows, and software news since 2009. His exclusive scoops on Chrome, Firefox, and Edge features have been cited by Forbes, TechCrunch, Wired, CNET, and other major publications.

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