SharePoint Document Issues

How to Hide SharePoint Subsites from Frequent and Recent Lists

Huma Ashraf Ch Oct 10, 2026 868 views

Question details

Administrators need to prevent role-specific SharePoint subsites from appearing in users' Frequent and Recent site lists to maintain privacy and declutter the interface.

How to Hide SharePoint Subsites from Frequent and Recent Lists

Product: Microsoft SharePoint
Device & OS: not provided
Scenario: Configuring organization-wide or site-specific settings to restrict subsite visibility in users' frequent sites or recent lists.
Observed behavior: Restricted or irrelevant subsites are currently populating in the frequent and recent site sections on the SharePoint start page.

Before you start

Ensure you have SharePoint Administrator or Site Owner permissions before attempting to change organization-wide Delve configurations or specific site visibility settings.

Solution 1Recommended

Adjust Delve Settings in the Microsoft 365 Admin Center

Disabling Delve or item insights will stop frequent and suggested sites from appearing on the SharePoint start page.

Be aware that disabling Delve is an organization-wide or group-level setting. It turns off item insights and suggestions across Microsoft 365, meaning users will no longer see recent documents or sites suggested based on their activity in the Microsoft Graph.

Access the Admin Center

Go to the Microsoft 365 admin center and log in with your global or SharePoint admin credentials.

Navigate to Search & Intelligence

Click on Settings in the left-hand menu, then select Search & intelligence.

Modify Item Insights

Select the Configurations tab. Under Item insights, adjust the settings to disable Delve and Office Graph insights for all users or specify a security group to exclude.

Adjust Delve Settings in the Microsoft 365 Admin Center

Propagation Time: It can take up to 24 hours for these changes to fully propagate across the tenant and remove the Frequent and Recent sections from the SharePoint start page.

Solution 2

Hide the Subsite from the Site Hierarchy

If you only want to hide specific subsites without disabling Delve globally, adjust the site navigation and hierarchy settings.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Will users lose access to the subsite if I hide it from the Recent list?

No, hiding a subsite from the Frequent or Recent list only removes it from the suggested UI. Users with the correct permissions can still access the site via a direct URL link or through the SharePoint search function.

Can I hide a site from Delve for just one specific user?

Yes, you can exclude specific users or security groups from Item Insights in the Microsoft 365 Admin Center, which will prevent their activity from generating site suggestions.

How long does it take for a site to disappear from the Frequent list after changing settings?

Changes to site hierarchy or Delve item insights can take anywhere from a few hours up to 24 hours to fully reflect on the SharePoint start page for all affected users.

Does clearing browser cache remove frequent sites in SharePoint?

No. The Frequent and Recent site lists are generated server-side by Microsoft Graph based on your account activity, so clearing your local browser cache will not remove them from the interface.

Document & File Issues