Quick Access not showing in navigation pane since Windows 11 update

Question

I updated to the latest version of Windows 11 yesterday. When I opened File Explorer, Quick access and recent files/folders were showing to the right of the window, but the Quick Access folder option was missing from the navigation panel on the left. So if I click away from this Window I've lost Quick Access. How do I re-enable Quick Access to the left part of the navigation pane?

Please look at the screenshot before replying. Quick Access is enabled in view mode options and can be seen, but is missing from the left side of the navigation pane.

Thanks for any help.

Answer 1

Hmmm, I think I know what you mean. I was used to viewing the "Quick Access" list in the left hand panel of Explorer in Windows 10. When I updated to 11, this Quick Access list disappeared, and said panel looked like this:

Obviously, no Quick Access list. What I realized sometime after was that I had to disable the "Show all folders" option in the context menu for the left hand panel in Explorer (option unchecked in screenshot below):

Once you disable the "Show all folders" option, you will see your Quick Access list back on top, below Home as in the screenshot above.

Answer 2

Hmmm, so I was being a bit slow on the uptake!

It appears that in the latest Windows 11 release, Quick Access in the left navigation pane has been removed as a folder in its own right.

If you want to access recently used files and folders, Quick Access is now found by clicking the Home option in the navigation pane.

Once again Microsoft makes things less clear and fixes something which wasn't broken.

Answer 3

I know MS always wants to align this product with that product. But look at what you did MS. Here is a feature I have gotten very used to using. Its handy to have my frequently used links available at the top of explorer. Now you have screwed me up again with this rearranging. You did not add one bit of value by doing this and many people took productivity hits.

The people who constantly change the UI are the bane of my existence. Just let me work and quit changing the interface. I am so sick of this stupidity!

Answer 4

Hi,

I am Sumit here to assist you with this question.

Some changes explained here:

https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2022/...

The default homepage of File Explorer is now called Home. The name Quick access has been repurposed for the pinned/frequent folders section and Pinned files is now called Favorites to align with Office and OneDrive.

Recent and pinned files displayed in Home are now searchable using the search box in File Explorer even if they are not local files, so you can find Office files recently shared with you.

Yes, they are not announced in the release notes, though.

Hope that hels.

Answer 5

I know MS always wants to align this product with that product. But look at what you did MS. Here is a feature I have gotten very used to using. Its handy to have my frequently used links available at the top of explorer. Now you have screwed me up again with this rearranging. You did not add one bit of value by doing this and many people took productivity hits.

The people who constantly change the UI are the bane of my existence. Just let me work and quit changing the interface. I am so sick of this stupidity!

You have it exactly right!