Office Settings & Configuration

How to Remove Quick Access Folders from Word's Open Dialog

Maira Mehtab Sep 22, 2026 869 views

Question details

The user needs to know how to stop folders from automatically displaying in the Quick Access list when opening documents through Microsoft Word's Open dialog.

Product: Microsoft Word
Device & OS: Windows 10, Windows 11
Scenario: Navigating the Open dialog in Word and attempting to hide or clear recent and frequent folders from the Quick Access navigation pane.
Observed behavior: Quick Access folders automatically populate and display recent or frequent directories when browsing for files via Word's Open dialog.

Before you start

Before changing your File Explorer settings, completely close Microsoft Word to ensure the application refreshes its Open dialog interface upon restart.

Solution 1Recommended

Clear Privacy Settings in Windows Folder Options

Because Word's Open dialog relies on a modified Windows File Explorer interface, you can stop folders from appearing by disabling recent and frequent item tracking in Windows Folder Options.

The Open dialog in Microsoft Word does not have independent settings for the Quick Access sidebar. Instead, it heavily relies on the native File Explorer settings configured in your Windows operating system. Any adjustments made directly to Windows Folder Options will instantly affect what appears in Word's Quick Access list.

Access Folder Options in Windows

In Windows 10, open File Explorer, click the 'View' tab on the top ribbon, and select 'Options'. In Windows 11, click the three-dot menu icon at the top of File Explorer and choose 'Options'.

Navigate to Privacy Settings

Once the Folder Options dialog box opens, ensure you are on the 'General' tab. Look towards the bottom of the window for the 'Privacy' section.

Clear Tracking Checkboxes

Uncheck the boxes labeled 'Show recently used files in Quick access' and 'Show frequently used folders in Quick access'. If you are on newer versions of Windows 11, you may also need to uncheck 'Show files from Office.com'.

Clear History and Apply

Click the 'Clear' button to erase your current File Explorer history. Then, click 'Apply' followed by 'OK'. Reopen Microsoft Word to verify that the Quick Access folders are no longer showing.

System-Wide Changes: Disabling these privacy settings will remove recent and frequent folders from the Quick Access menu across your entire Windows system, not just within Microsoft Word.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Does clearing Quick Access folders in Windows affect other applications?

Yes, because the Quick Access settings are tied directly to Windows File Explorer, turning off these privacy features will remove recent and frequent folders from the Open and Save dialogs of all applications on your PC.

How do I remove just one specific folder from Quick Access?

Open Windows File Explorer, locate the Quick Access section on the left navigation pane, right-click the specific folder you wish to hide, and select 'Unpin from Quick access'.

Why did my removed folders reappear in Word's Open dialog?

If you only clicked the 'Clear' button to wipe the history without unchecking the privacy boxes in Folder Options, Windows will continue tracking your file usage and automatically repopulate the Quick Access list over time.

Can I clear Word's internal Recent Documents list instead?

Yes. To clear Word's proprietary recent files list (separate from the Windows Open dialog), open Word, navigate to File > Open > Recent, right-click any document in the list, and select 'Clear unpinned Items'.

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