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How to Sync Pinned and Recently Used Office Files Between PCs

Camila Milosovich Oct 21, 2026 868 views

Question details

The user needs to synchronize their Pinned and Recently Used document lists in Microsoft 365 across multiple Windows 11 computers using the same account.

How to Sync Pinned and Recently Used Office Files Between PCs

Product: Microsoft 365
Device & OS: Windows 11
Scenario: Working on frequently accessed documents across two different computers and expecting the pinned file lists to mirror each other.
Observed behavior: The Pinned and Recently Used lists do not automatically synchronize between devices; they remain distinct and are stored locally in each Windows user profile.

Before you start

Ensure you are signed in to your cloud storage provider (like OneDrive, Dropbox, or Google Drive) on both PCs so the actual document files are securely backed up and accessible.

Solution 1Recommended

Manually Recreate Pinned Lists on Each PC

Since Microsoft 365 stores pinned items locally in your Windows user profile, you must manually pin your frequently used documents on each computer.

Although your documents themselves sync via cloud storage, the metadata for your Recent and Pinned lists does not roam with your Microsoft account across Windows 11 devices.

Open your cloud document

Navigate to your OneDrive, Dropbox, or Google Drive folder on your second computer and open the file you wish to pin.

Access the Recent list

In your Office application (such as Word or Excel), click on 'File' in the top ribbon, and then select 'Home' or 'Open' to view the 'Recent' document list.

Pin the document

Hover over the document name in the Recent list and click the pushpin icon on the right side to secure it to your Pinned list.

Local Profile Limitation: This manual pinning process must be repeated on any new device or if you reinstall Windows, as the list configuration is tied directly to your local Windows profile.

Solution 2

Utilize Cloud Storage for File Synchronization

While the pinned lists themselves cannot sync natively, continuously storing your files in a cloud directory ensures that any edits made on one PC are immediately reflected on the other.

Free Microsoft Office alternative

Sync Your Recent Documents Seamlessly with WPS Office

Frustrated by local-only pinned lists in Microsoft 365? WPS Office offers a highly compatible, free alternative that features seamless cloud synchronization. By logging into your WPS account, your recent files list and cloud documents roam with you across Windows, Mac, and mobile devices automatically.

1. Download and install: Install WPS Office on all your devices and sign in using the same WPS account credentials.
2. Enable Cloud Sync: Turn on WPS Cloud synchronization in the settings to automatically upload your documents and update your recent files list across platforms.
3. Access anywhere: Open WPS Office on your second computer and navigate to the 'Recent' tab on the homepage to find all your synced documents instantly available.

Free and lightweight Office suite alternativeHighly compatible with Microsoft Office formats (.docx, .xlsx, .pptx)Cross-device synchronization of your recent files list via WPS CloudFamiliar, intuitive interface that requires no learning curve

microsoft office alternative - wps office

Frequently Asked Questions

Why are my pinned Office files missing on my second Windows 11 PC?

Microsoft 365 stores the Pinned and Recently Used document lists locally within the Windows user profile on each specific machine. Because of this local storage behavior, the lists cannot natively sync across different devices, even if you are using the same Microsoft account.

Will saving files to OneDrive sync my pinned document list?

No. Saving files to OneDrive will successfully synchronize the actual document content and files between your computers, but the Pinned and Recently Used metadata lists will still remain strictly local to each individual PC.

Can I use Dropbox or Google Drive to sync the Office recent files list?

No. Just like OneDrive, third-party cloud storage providers like Dropbox and Google Drive only synchronize the actual file data. They do not alter how Microsoft Office manages its local profile data, meaning you will still need to manually pin the files within the applications on each computer.

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