Windows 7: Recent Items - Change Maximum Number to Display in Start Menu

   Information

This will show you how to set the maximum number of recent documents shortcuts to display in the Recent Items Start Menu button for all users in Vista and Windows 7.

By default, Recent Items displays shortcuts up to the 10 most recently opened documents and files.

You must be logged in as an administrator to be able to do the steps in this tutorial.

   Note

The hidden system folder Recent Items is located at:

C:\Users\(User Name)\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Recent Items

OR

%AppData%\Microsoft\Windows\Recent Items


If you go to the Recent Items folder location above and you have a yellow folder named Recent instead of one named Recent Items with a icon, then right click on the Recent folder and click Delete. Type shell:recent in the white line (Start Search) area of the Start Menu and press Enter. Logoff and logon, or restart the computer, to rebuild the folder back to the default Recent Items. Recent Items will not function correctly if is not set as the default Recent Items folder.

If this did not fix the Recent Items folder, then see the post at this link to make sure that the registry locations at the link have the correct locations entered for them.

OPTION ONE

Manually in Registry Editor

1. Open the Start Menu, then type regedit in the search line and press enter.

2. If prompted by UAC, then click on Yes (Windows 7) or Continue (Vista).

3. In regedit, navigate to: (see screenshot below)

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer

4. Do either step 5 or 6 below for what you would like to do.

5. To Change the Maximum Number of Recent Items

A) In the right pane of Explorer, right click on a empty space, click on New and DWORD (32-bit), type MaxRecentDocs, and press Enter. (see screenshot below)
NOTE: If you already have MaxRecentDocs and just wanted to change the maximum number, then skip this step and continue on to step 5B instead.

B) In the right pane, double click on MaxRecentDocs. (see screenshot above)

C) Select (dot) Decimal, type in the maximum number of recent items you want to display, and click on OK. (see screenshot below)

D) Go to step 7.

6. To Restore Default Maximum Number of Recent Items
NOTE: This is the default setting.

A) In the right pane of Explorer, right click on MaxRecentDocs and click on Delete. (see screenshot below)

B) Click on Yes to approve deletion. (see screenshot below)

C) Continue on to step 7.

7. Close regedit.

8. Log off and log on, or restart the computer to apply.

OPTION TWO

Through the Local Group Policy Editor

1. Open the all users, specific users or groups, or all users except administrators Local Group Policy Editor for how you want this policy applied.

2. In the left pane, click on the arrow to expand User Configuration, Administrative Templates, Windows Components, then click on Windows Explorer. (see screenshot below)

3. In the right pane, right click on Maximum number of recent documents and click on Edit. (see screenshot above)

4. To Restore Default Maximum Number of Recent Items
NOTE: This is the default setting.

A) Select (dot) Not Configured or Disabled. (see screenshot below step 6)

B) Go to step 6.

5. To Change the Maximum Number of Recent Items

A) Select (dot) Enabled, then under Options type in the maximum number of recent items you want to display. (see screenshot below step 6)
NOTE: This will also clear the recent items list to start over.

6. Click on OK. (see screenshot below)

7. Close the Local Group Policy Editor.