Question 15: Pin Recent Files to the Windows 10 Start Screen.

Solution:

Pinning “Recent Files” to the Windows 10 Start screen can help you get to the recent files list quickly, and can be a productivity booster. To do that, you don’t need registry tweaks this time.
Open File Explorer and navigate to the following folder by typing the path in Address bar:

%AppData%\Microsoft\Windows

Alternately, type shell:recent in the Run dialog (WinKey + R), and then go back one level up, to the parent directory.

For the complete list of shell: command shortcuts to access special / shell folders in Windows, check out post Shell Commands to Access the Special Folders in Windows.

Right-click Recent items, and click Pin to Start

Unfortunately, adding Recent files or Recent documents as a cascading menu (as in the Windows XP, Vista or Windows 7 Start menu) isn’t possible without using a 3rd party Start menu replacement utility.

Quick access (Home View) is another area where you can view the recent files list.



The Quick access / Home View shows only the recently opened files, whereas the “Recent” shell folder lists recently accessed files, folders, drives, and even your recent searches. The Quick Access “Recent files” view is only a subset of the Recent items special folder.