Take the Explorer view from Windows 7 and 8 for example, which was replaced by the Quick Access view in Windows 10. I strongly agree that Quick Access makes it easier to work with frequently access files and folders, but then, users have been habituated using the Explorer view when they click on the folder icon on the taskbar. You can’t expect them to forget everything and pick up something which is entirely different. So for the time being, till you don’t get acquainted to the new changes, let’s see how to disable quick access in File Explorer.
Open This PC Windows instead of Quick Access
On windows 10, the Windows Explorer view (This PC) from where you get direct access to all the drives has been replaced by something called Quick Access. In the Quick Access view, you get a view of the last 8 frequently used folders and recent files you have edited on the computer. For single users, it’s a good effort to streamline things, but can be a privacy issue for shared systems. To make This PC as the default view, click on File Button on Explorer and navigate to Change folder and search options. Here, simply change the Open File Explorer settings to This PC and save the settings. From next time, every time you click on the folder icon in the taskbar to open Windows explorer, you will get to this PC instead of the Quick Access list.
Removing Quick Access Completely
Now dealing with the privacy issues, we will see how to remove the frequently used folders and recently modified files from the list. In the Change folder and Search Options settings, navigate to Privacy settings. Here simply uncheck the two options, Show frequently used folders in Quick access and Show recently used files in Quick access. Also click on the Clear button to remove the history till date and wipe the slate clean. Quick Tip: By Default, Quick Access only gives Desktop, Downloads, Documents and Pictures as the default folders and if the privacy options is turned off, it never changes. You can just drag and drop your frequently used folder to increase accessibility without compromising on privacy.
Having issues after Windows 10 Upgrade? We Can Help!
So that was how you can easily make This PC as the default explorer view and hide the files that you work on frequently. I am sure I was able to help you with one of the challenges you faced after migrating to Windows 10, but this is just the beginning. Read all our articles on Windows 10 that will help you in Windows 10 migrations. If you have any doubts, please feel free to comment in our forum. One of us will get back to you at the earliest. The above article may contain affiliate links which help support Guiding Tech. However, it does not affect our editorial integrity. The content remains unbiased and authentic.
