How to customize the Start in menu Windows 11 – Recently opened files, applications and folders

The first feature that stands out at Windows 11 it's new GUI. The "Start" button positioned in the center of the task bar (TaskBar) and the new field for widgets in which it seems that Microsoft wants to promote its flow of news and news from MSN. I did not find yet how to remove news feeds from Windows 11 Widgets.

If the Windows 11 I didn't have much success with widgets and honestly I see them as a bit useless in the current version, as far as the menu is concerned.Home"Microsoft put some customization options interesting that helps the users a lot. For example, in the "Start" menu we can add shortcuts to folders such as: Downloads, Pictures, Movies, Documents, Network (LAN), we can remove from "Start" the lists with the latest installed applications si most recently accessed files. The latter option is very useful if several people have access to the same computer, and the last one that the person who accessed it does not want someone else to see what they looked at through the computer. I know people who have asked me how to delete the history of files accessed on the PC or how I can permanently disable it the option to keep the accessed files historical. "Recommended" files in Windows 11 Start Menu.

How to customize "Start" menu in Windows 11

By default, the Start menu of Windows 11 it is composed of four areas. Search bar (Search) at the top, an area for applications, one for most recently accessed files and another area at the bottom that we find system user and button Shut Down.

In an attempt to make the change as visible as possible, Microsoft has eliminated it Windows 11 quick access through shortcuts to user folders. Downloads, Videos, Photos, Documents, Music. If we go back in time, Windows XP had these folders by default in Start Menu.

Fortunately, the Start menu of Windows 11 can be fully customized. We can choose which applications appear in the menu, through a simple "Pin", to remove the list of the last files accessed and to bring quick access to user folders to the bottom bar of Start.

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How to add user folders in the Start menu of Windows 11

We go to “Settings”→“Personalization”→“Home".

Start Menu Personalization Settings in Windows 11.

On this page we have several customization options of the Start menu from Windows 11. We can choose whether or not we want to display the most recently installed applications, the most used applications, the last files opened from Windows Explorer, Start or Jump Lists. The last option in "Personalisation" → "Start" is the one for user folders.

Add user shortcuts to folders Windows 11 Start Menu

In the section “Folders”Of the customization options we have the possibility to add on the lower bar of Start shortcuts to the user folders. All we have to do is change from "Off" to "On".

The result will be quick direct access from Start to the folders we are interested in. In addition, as can be seen in the image above, we can add a shortcut to "Settings".

I think it would have been nicer if the space occupied by "Recommended”Users could choose one, maximum two widgets of interest. Maybe something will change until the final version of Windows 11.