Windows 7: Force Windows Explorer Jumplist to show Recent, not Frequent

Hi,

Hope this is the right forum for this question. (I don't think this is. I'm reposting this in the Customization forum. Sorry.)

Currently, when I right-click Windows Explorer in the taskbar, the jumplist shows "Frequent" files.

I would very much like the Windows Explorer jumplist to always show "Recent" folders instead instead of "Frequent" folders.

Does anyone know how this could be done? Perhaps a registry tweak?

Many thanks for any help,
Ariel

Welcome to Seven Forums Ariel.

Right click the Start button and choose properties> Start Menu tab> Make sure Store and display recently opened items in the Start menu and the taskbar option is ticked.

A Guy

Hi A Guy, thanks for the welcome!

My question is how to force Windows to show "Recent" rather than "Frequent." The checkbox you refer to is ticked, but the Windows Explorer jumplist shows "frequent" rather than "recent." I think that is standard behavior, and I just want to know if there is a way to change it so that is shows "Recent" instead of "Frequent."

I've scoured the web and am not finding anything, but maybe someone here knows of a registry tweak?

(I'm aware of the option to pin and unpin folders, but that's not what I'm asking.)

Many thanks for any help
Ariel

Jump Lists require that you have Recent Programs and Recent Items turned ON for it to work, so you might check to be sure you have those settings turned on.

Hi Imperfect1,

Thanks.

My jumplists are working fine and the settings are turned on.

My question is how to get the Windows Explorer jumplist to show "recent items" instead of "frequent items."

Thanks,
Ariel

Hi Ariel, I was hoping that turning those two settings on would make the difference between seeing frequently used items, versus being able to see the recent items that you're trying to get listed there.

Here's another possibility: There is a relationship between the recent items listed in your Jump List and the recent items listed in your Start Menu. If you look at the Recent Items list in your Start Menu, does it have "recent" items, or the same "frequently used" items that you have in your Jump Lists? If it's the same problem, maybe the solution (to both) is to attack the problem from the Start Menu's perspective, rather than the Jump Lists.

Also, there are quite a few tutorials on 'customizing' your Jump Lists. Would it be worth it to take a look at them to see if somewhere, buried in the text, you might find a clue as to what you could do to make the change?

How to Create Custom Jump Lists in Windows 7
How to Create your Own Custom Jump List
Jumplists: Another Handy Jump List Creator For Windows 7

*Using Jump Lists to open programs and items. (Video from Microsoft that talks about the relationship between the recent items in the Start Menu and the Jump Lists)

Hi Imperfect1,

Many thanks for the links and the suggestion of working on the problem via the Start Menu. If this approach works, I'll post back.

Thanks again,
Ariel

Read this thread, but read the whole thing then decide for yourself.

Changing Jumplist behavior for Windows Explorer/Windows Media Player

A Guy

I haven't checked out that link yet, but meanwhile I found this:

Changing Jumplist behavior for Windows Explorer/Windows Media Player

The answer the guy gives in the first response does work. He makes it sound like Recent will eventually revert to Frequent. However, later on in that thread, it seems that not only will Recent be permanent, it actually becomes impossible to revert to frequent. (So be on guard anyone who tries it).

I've used his suggestion and it's worked. Whether it will revert to frequent only time will tell.

And now to check out the link...

This forums has been great so far, thanks for the help.
Ariel

(Hey waddayou know it's the same link A Guy was talking about. What a coincidence!)

A Guy