I cannot find Quick Access in the new updated file explorer.

Question

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.

Answer 1

Hi,
Same problem here.
Under Privacy, here is just no such setting. All I can see is:

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.

Answer 2

An update on this as I spent a lot of time going around in circles trying to resolve this.

I did have an Azure account which I had no idea I had created, I never used it and was unaware it was an account on my PC.

In resolving this issue, I tried signing out of the Azure account everywhere, but this did not work as I now had an error message in File Explorer insisting I log back in.

I tried logging in with my personal account, but this was rejected as it was a personal account.

I uninstalled the update, yet the new file explorer was still in place when the uninstall was completed. This shouldn't have happened as it should have returned to the old file explorer.

I went into settings > accounts, and the other account I did not want or use was listed in "accounts used by other apps", it would not let me delete the account from there. Bad show Microsoft...

I then had to go to settings > accounts > Access work or school account and then could remove the account from here. Point of very frustrating note - this inability to click an account and remove it from the menu, app, or setting that you are at is exactly why I cannot get to grips with IOS, and it is really disappointing to see this style of global settings start appearing in Microsoft products.

This still did not work, I tried a reboot, and the login request disappeared which was a sign of progress, but still no quick access.

Tried re-installing the update, but it still didn't work

I then cleared the quick access cache from the customdestinations and automaticdestinations and finally, the quick access reappeared and allowed me to select my quick access files

Hope this helps anyone else stuck

Answer 3

Yes this worked!

UN-Check the "Show Recommended" section.

Answer 4

Please verify the new bugs the update created as is explained below, have to uncheck the silly recommended section to get back our precious and useful quicklaunch.

Answer 5

Thanks for your detailed response - I just have to mention how absurd and unacceptable it is that users should have to jump through hoops like this in order to fix the messes that Microsoft inflicts on its users, with no response or reaction from them to the issue.

Unfortunately none of this worked for me and I have tried all your recommendations, as well as several others recommended by others, for hours. My 'Privacy' section in Explorer Options has the 'Show recommended section' greyed out so it can be neither checked nor unchecked.

The 'Open File Explorer to' does not have a 'Quick Access' option so this has obviously been tampered with at Microsoft, for who knows what good reason. I cannot even pin a foder to the Start menu - trying to do this simply pins the entire File Explorer to the Start menu.

The most frustrating part of all these things (and this is not the first time by any means) is when the so-called Microsoft Experts post solutions in the forums (such as this one) that simply do not work or do not even exist. While Microsoft itself sits in its ivory tower and profoundly ignores everybody.