Remove Recent Items menu from Start Menu

UserNative Intune settingNoRecentDocsMenu

Supported on Windows Server 2008, Windows Server 2003, Windows 7, Windows Vista, Windows XP, and Windows 2000

22H2 · 1.0

What it does

Removes the Recent Items menu from the Start menu. Removes the Documents menu from the classic Start menu. The Recent Items menu contains links to the non-program files that users have most recently opened. It appears so that users can easily reopen their documents. If you enable this setting, the system saves document shortcuts but does not display the Recent Items menu in the Start Menu, and users cannot turn the menu on. If you later disable the setting, so that the Recent Items menu appears in the Start Menu, the document shortcuts saved before the setting was enabled and while it was in effect appear in the Recent Items menu. When the setting is disabled, the Recent Items menu appears in the Start Menu, and users cannot remove it. If the setting is not configured, users can turn the Recent Items menu on and off. Note: This setting does not prevent Windows programs from displaying shortcuts to recently opened documents. See the "Do not keep history of recently opened documents" setting. This setting also does not hide document shortcuts displayed in the Open dialog box. See the "Hide the dropdown list of recent files" setting.

What it writes

Hive: HKEY_CURRENT_USER
Registry key: Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer
Value name: NoRecentDocsMenu
When enabled: DWORD 1
When disabled: value removed

Why it needs changes for Intune

Policy references a Windows supportedOn definition.
ADMX-INTUNE-WINDOWS-SUPPORTEDON-REFERENCE

In Intune

Native Intune setting: Yes — Policy CSP

./User/Vendor/MSFT/Policy/Config/ADMX_StartMenu/NoRecentDocsMenuADMX_StartMenu on Microsoft LearnADMX-backed: Windows ships this template, so it is set with the template's own values, without an import.Windows builds listed: 10.0.22000, 10.0.19043.1202, 10.0.19042.1202, 10.0.19041.1202.

From Microsoft's Policy CSP DDF files (DDF v2 Files, February 2026), read 18 Oct 2026.

Configure and deploy

Choose a state; the output below is generated from the template for exactly that.

Enabled · User · template defaults

Registry file (.reg)

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer]
"NoRecentDocsMenu"=dword:00000001

PowerShell

$ErrorActionPreference = 'Stop'

function Set-RegistryValue {
    param(
        [Parameter(Mandatory = $true)][string] $Path,
        [Parameter(Mandatory = $true)][string] $Name,
        [Parameter(Mandatory = $true)][string] $PropertyType,
        [Parameter(Mandatory = $true)][object] $Value
    )

    if (-not (Test-Path -LiteralPath $Path)) {
        New-Item -Path $Path -Force | Out-Null
    }

    New-ItemProperty -LiteralPath $Path -Name $Name -PropertyType $PropertyType -Value $Value -Force | Out-Null
}

function Remove-RegistryValue {
    param(
        [Parameter(Mandatory = $true)][string] $Path,
        [Parameter(Mandatory = $true)][string] $Name
    )

    if (Test-Path -LiteralPath $Path) {
        Remove-ItemProperty -LiteralPath $Path -Name $Name -Force -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue
    }
}

function Clear-RegistryKeyValues {
    param(
        [Parameter(Mandatory = $true)][string] $Path
    )

    if (-not (Test-Path -LiteralPath $Path)) {
        return
    }

    foreach ($propertyName in (Get-Item -LiteralPath $Path).Property) {
        Remove-ItemProperty -LiteralPath $Path -Name $propertyName -Force -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue
    }
}

# Policy: Remove Recent Items menu from Start Menu
# Name: NoRecentDocsMenu
# Scope: User
# State: Enabled
# Source: StartMenu.admx

Set-RegistryValue -Path 'Registry::HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer' -Name 'NoRecentDocsMenu' -PropertyType 'DWord' -Value 1

These deployment candidates come from the ADMX template; they are separate from the native CSP mapping above.

The OMA-URI is an inferred ADMX-backed Policy CSP candidate derived from the source ADMX file name and policy name.
Some Microsoft policies use built-in Policy CSP pages whose area names don't match the ADMX file name, so verify the candidate against Microsoft Learn before deployment.

ADMX profile candidate (OMA-URI)

./User/Vendor/MSFT/Policy/Config/ADMX_StartMenu/NoRecentDocsMenu

ADMX SyncML candidate

<SyncML xmlns="SYNCML:SYNCML1.2">
  <SyncBody>
    <Replace>
      <CmdID>1</CmdID>
      <Item>
        <Meta>
          <Format>chr</Format>
          <Type>text/plain</Type>
        </Meta>
        <Target>
          <LocURI>./User/Vendor/MSFT/Policy/Config/ADMX_StartMenu/NoRecentDocsMenu</LocURI>
        </Target>
        <Data>&lt;enabled/&gt;</Data>
      </Item>
    </Replace>
    <Final/>
  </SyncBody>
</SyncML>

Intune remediation scripts

Detection

$ErrorActionPreference = 'Stop'
$reasons = [System.Collections.Generic.List[string]]::new()

function Test-RegistryValueExists {
    param(
        [Parameter(Mandatory = $true)][string] $Path,
        [Parameter(Mandatory = $true)][string] $Name
    )

    if (-not (Test-Path -LiteralPath $Path)) {
        return $false
    }

    return $null -ne (Get-ItemProperty -LiteralPath $Path -Name $Name -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue)
}

function Test-RegistryValueEquals {
    param(
        [Parameter(Mandatory = $true)][string] $Path,
        [Parameter(Mandatory = $true)][string] $Name,
        [Parameter(Mandatory = $true)][string] $Kind,
        [Parameter(Mandatory = $true)][object] $Expected
    )

    if (-not (Test-Path -LiteralPath $Path)) {
        return $false
    }

    $valueObject = Get-ItemProperty -LiteralPath $Path -Name $Name -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue
    if ($null -eq $valueObject) {
        return $false
    }

    $actual = $valueObject.$Name
    switch ($Kind) {
        'String' { return [string]$actual -ceq [string]$Expected }
        'ExpandString' { return [string]$actual -ceq [string]$Expected }
        'DWord' { return [uint32]$actual -eq [uint32]$Expected }
        'QWord' { return [uint64]$actual -eq [uint64]$Expected }
        'MultiString' {
            $actualArray = @($actual)
            $expectedArray = @($Expected)
            if ($actualArray.Count -ne $expectedArray.Count) { return $false }
            for ($index = 0; $index -lt $actualArray.Count; $index++) {
                if ([string]$actualArray[$index] -cne [string]$expectedArray[$index]) { return $false }
            }
            return $true
        }
        'Binary' {
            $actualArray = [byte[]]$actual
            $expectedArray = [byte[]]$Expected
            if ($actualArray.Length -ne $expectedArray.Length) { return $false }
            for ($index = 0; $index -lt $actualArray.Length; $index++) {
                if ($actualArray[$index] -ne $expectedArray[$index]) { return $false }
            }
            return $true
        }
        default { return [string]$actual -ceq [string]$Expected }
    }
}

# Policy: Remove Recent Items menu from Start Menu
# Name: NoRecentDocsMenu
# Scope: User
# State: Enabled
# Source: StartMenu.admx

$isMatch = Test-RegistryValueEquals -Path 'Registry::HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer' -Name 'NoRecentDocsMenu' -Kind 'DWord' -Expected 1
if (-not $isMatch) {
    $reasons.Add('Value mismatch: HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer\NoRecentDocsMenu') | Out-Null
}

if ($reasons.Count -eq 0) {
    Write-Output 'Compliant'
    exit 0
}

$reasons | ForEach-Object { Write-Output $_ }
exit 1

Remediation

$ErrorActionPreference = 'Stop'

function Set-RegistryValue {
    param(
        [Parameter(Mandatory = $true)][string] $Path,
        [Parameter(Mandatory = $true)][string] $Name,
        [Parameter(Mandatory = $true)][string] $PropertyType,
        [Parameter(Mandatory = $true)][object] $Value
    )

    if (-not (Test-Path -LiteralPath $Path)) {
        New-Item -Path $Path -Force | Out-Null
    }

    New-ItemProperty -LiteralPath $Path -Name $Name -PropertyType $PropertyType -Value $Value -Force | Out-Null
}

function Remove-RegistryValue {
    param(
        [Parameter(Mandatory = $true)][string] $Path,
        [Parameter(Mandatory = $true)][string] $Name
    )

    if (Test-Path -LiteralPath $Path) {
        Remove-ItemProperty -LiteralPath $Path -Name $Name -Force -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue
    }
}

function Clear-RegistryKeyValues {
    param(
        [Parameter(Mandatory = $true)][string] $Path
    )

    if (-not (Test-Path -LiteralPath $Path)) {
        return
    }

    foreach ($propertyName in (Get-Item -LiteralPath $Path).Property) {
        Remove-ItemProperty -LiteralPath $Path -Name $propertyName -Force -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue
    }
}

# Policy: Remove Recent Items menu from Start Menu
# Name: NoRecentDocsMenu
# Scope: User
# State: Enabled
# Source: StartMenu.admx

Set-RegistryValue -Path 'Registry::HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer' -Name 'NoRecentDocsMenu' -PropertyType 'DWord' -Value 1

History 2 retained releases

22H2 · 1.015 Jul 2024
- Wording changed.
1607 · 2.015 Jul 2024
- Already present in the first release ChangeIntel keeps.

Template

Internal name: NoRecentDocsMenu
Namespace: Microsoft.Policies.StartMenu
Template file: StartMenu.admx
Release: Windows 10 22H2 · 1.0 · file set bc15f6a5271783ee…

Definition, editor controls and support

Definition

<policy class="User" displayName="$(string.NoRecentDocsMenu)" explainText="$(string.NoRecentDocsMenu_Help)" key="Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer" name="NoRecentDocsMenu" valueName="NoRecentDocsMenu" xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/GroupPolicy/2006/07/PolicyDefinitions">
      <parentCategory ref="Microsoft.Policies.Windows:StartMenu" />
      <supportedOn ref="Microsoft.Policies.Windows:SUPPORTED_Windows7To2k" />
    </policy>

Editor controls

Supported platforms and category

Microsoft.Policies.Products:product:MicrosoftWindows
sha256:4b3cb6917b5e5b7cd142c0157f10882786b3e9ee67c29fd7b8f4c6cb2eec5fe7
Microsoft.Policies.Windows:category:StartMenu
<category displayName="$(string.StartMenu)" explainText="$(string.StartMenu_Help)" name="StartMenu" xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/GroupPolicy/2006/07/PolicyDefinitions" />
Microsoft.Policies.Windows:definition:SUPPORTED_Windows7To2k
<definition displayName="$(string.SUPPORTED_Windows7To2k)" name="SUPPORTED_Windows7To2k" xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/GroupPolicy/2006/07/PolicyDefinitions">
        <or>
          <range maxVersionIndex="6" minVersionIndex="1" ref="Microsoft.Policies.Products:MicrosoftWindows" />
        </or>
      </definition>
Microsoft.Policies.Products:product:MicrosoftWindows
<product displayName="$(string.MicrosoftWindows)" name="MicrosoftWindows" xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/GroupPolicy/2006/07/PolicyDefinitions">
        <majorVersion displayName="$(string.MicrosoftWindows2000)" name="MicrosoftWindows2000" versionIndex="1">
          <minorVersion displayName="$(string.MicrosoftWindows2000_RTM)" name="MicrosoftWindows2000_RTM" versionIndex="0" />
          <minorVersion displayName="$(string.MicrosoftWindows2000_SP1)" name="MicrosoftWindows2000_SP1" versionIndex="1" />
          <minorVersion displayName="$(string.MicrosoftWindows2000_SP2)" name="MicrosoftWindows2000_SP2" versionIndex="2" />
          <minorVersion displayName="$(string.MicrosoftWindows2000_SP3)" name="MicrosoftWindows2000_SP3" versionIndex="3" />
          <minorVersion displayName="$(string.MicrosoftWindows2000_SP4)" name="MicrosoftWindows2000_SP4" versionIndex="4" />
        </majorVersion>
        <majorVersion displayName="$(string.MicrosoftWindowsXP)" name="MicrosoftWindowsXP" versionIndex="2">
          <minorVersion displayName="$(string.MicrosoftWindowsXP_RTM)" name="MicrosoftWindowsXP_RTM" versionIndex="0" />
          <minorVersion displayName="$(string.MicrosoftWindowsXP_SP1)" name="MicrosoftWindowsXP_SP1" versionIndex="1" />
          <minorVersion displayName="$(string.MicrosoftWindowsXP_SP2)" name="MicrosoftWindowsXP_SP2" versionIndex="2" />
        </majorVersion>
        <majorVersion displayName="$(string.MicrosoftWindowsServer2003)" name="MicrosoftWindowsServer2003" versionIndex="3">
          <minorVersion displayName="$(string.MicrosoftWindowsServer2003_RTM)" name="MicrosoftWindowsServer2003_RTM" versionIndex="0" />
          <minorVersion displayName="$(string.MicrosoftWindowsServer2003_SP1)" name="MicrosoftWindowsServer2003_SP1" versionIndex="1" />
          <minorVersion displayName="$(string.MicrosoftWindowsServer2003_R2)" name="MicrosoftWindowsServer2003_R2" versionIndex="2" />
          <minorVersion displayName="$(string.MicrosoftWindowsServer2003_SP2)" name="MicrosoftWindowsServer2003_SP2" versionIndex="3" />
        </majorVersion>
        <majorVersion displayName="$(string.MicrosoftWindowsVista)" name="MicrosoftWindowsVista" versionIndex="4">
          <minorVersion displayName="$(string.MicrosoftWindowsVista_RTM)" name="MicrosoftWindowsVista_RTM" versionIndex="0" />
          <minorVersion displayName="$(string.MicrosoftWindowsVista_SP1)" name="MicrosoftWindowsVista_SP1" versionIndex="1" />
        </majorVersion>
        <majorVersion displayName="$(string.WindowsServer2008)" name="WindowsServer2008" versionIndex="5">
          <minorVersion displayName="$(string.WindowsServer2008_RTM)" name="WindowsServer2008_RTM" versionIndex="0" />
          <minorVersion displayName="$(string.WindowsServer2008_R2)" name="WindowsServer2008_R2" versionIndex="1" />
        </majorVersion>
        <majorVersion displayName="$(string.MicrosoftWindows7)" name="MicrosoftWindows7" versionIndex="6">
          <minorVersion displayName="$(string.MicrosoftWindows7_RTM)" name="MicrosoftWindows7_RTM" versionIndex="0" />
        </majorVersion>
        <majorVersion displayName="$(string.MicrosoftWindowsServer8)" name="MicrosoftWindowsServer8" versionIndex="7">
           <minorVersion displayName="$(string.MicrosoftWindowsServer8_RTM)" name="MicrosoftWindowsServer8_RTM" versionIndex="0" />
        </majorVersion>
        <majorVersion displayName="$(string.MicrosoftWindows8)" name="MicrosoftWindows8" versionIndex="8">
          <minorVersion displayName="$(string.MicrosoftWindows8_RTM)" name="MicrosoftWindows8_RTM" versionIndex="0" />
        </majorVersion>
        <majorVersion displayName="$(string.MicrosoftWindows_RT)" name="MicrosoftWindows_RT" versionIndex="9">
          <minorVersion displayName="$(string.MicrosoftWindows_RT_RTM)" name="MicrosoftWindows_RT_RTM" versionIndex="0" />
        </majorVersion>
        <majorVersion displayName="$(string.MicrosoftWindowsServer_6_3)" name="MicrosoftWindowsServer_6_3" versionIndex="10">
           <minorVersion displayName="$(string.MicrosoftWindowsServer_6_3_RTM)" name="MicrosoftWindowsServer_6_3_RTM" versionIndex="0" />
        </majorVersion>
        <majorVersion displayName="$(string.MicrosoftWindows_6_3)" name="MicrosoftWindows_6_3" versionIndex="11">
          <minorVersion displayName="$(string.MicrosoftWindows_6_3_RTM)" name="MicrosoftWindows_6_3_RTM" versionIndex="0" />
        </majorVersion>
        <majorVersion displayName="$(string.MicrosoftWindows_6_3_RT)" name="MicrosoftWindows_6_3_RT" versionIndex="12">
            <minorVersion displayName="$(string.MicrosoftWindows_6_3_RT_RTM)" name="MicrosoftWindows_6_3_RT_RTM" versionIndex="0" />
        </majorVersion>
        <majorVersion displayName="$(string.MicrosoftWindowsServer_10_0)" name="MicrosoftWindowsServer_10_0" versionIndex="13">
            <minorVersion displayName="$(string.MicrosoftWindowsServer_10_0_RTM)" name="MicrosoftWindowsServer_10_0_RTM" versionIndex="0" />
          </majorVersion>
        <majorVersion displayName="$(string.MicrosoftWindows_10_0)" name="MicrosoftWindows_10_0" versionIndex="14">
            <minorVersion displayName="$(string.MicrosoftWindows_10_0_RTM)" name="MicrosoftWindows_10_0_RTM" versionIndex="0" />
        </majorVersion>
        <majorVersion displayName="$(string.MicrosoftWindows_10_0_RT)" name="MicrosoftWindows_10_0_RT" versionIndex="15">
            <minorVersion displayName="$(string.MicrosoftWindows_10_0_RT_RTM)" name="MicrosoftWindows_10_0_RT_RTM" versionIndex="0" />
        </majorVersion>
      </product>
<strings><string id="Microsoft.Policies.Products:MicrosoftWindows">Windows operating system</string><string id="Microsoft.Policies.Products:MicrosoftWindows2000">Windows 2000 operating systems</string><string id="Microsoft.Policies.Products:MicrosoftWindows2000_RTM">Windows 2000</string><string id="Microsoft.Policies.Products:MicrosoftWindows2000_SP1">Windows 2000 Service Pack 1</string><string id="Microsoft.Policies.Products:MicrosoftWindows2000_SP2">Windows 2000 Service Pack 2</string><string id="Microsoft.Policies.Products:MicrosoftWindows2000_SP3">Windows 2000 Service Pack 3</string><string id="Microsoft.Policies.Products:MicrosoftWindows2000_SP4">Windows 2000 Service Pack 4</string><string id="Microsoft.Policies.Products:MicrosoftWindows7">Windows 7 operating systems</string><string id="Microsoft.Policies.Products:MicrosoftWindows7_RTM">Windows 7</string><string id="Microsoft.Policies.Products:MicrosoftWindows8">Windows 8 operating systems</string><string id="Microsoft.Policies.Products:MicrosoftWindows8_RTM">Windows 8</string><string id="Microsoft.Policies.Products:MicrosoftWindowsServer2003">Windows Server 2003 operating systems</string><string id="Microsoft.Policies.Products:MicrosoftWindowsServer2003_R2">Windows Server 2003 R2</string><string id="Microsoft.Policies.Products:MicrosoftWindowsServer2003_RTM">Windows Server 2003</string><string id="Microsoft.Policies.Products:MicrosoftWindowsServer2003_SP1">Windows Server 2003 Service Pack 1</string><string id="Microsoft.Policies.Products:MicrosoftWindowsServer2003_SP2">Windows Server 2003 Service Pack 2</string><string id="Microsoft.Policies.Products:MicrosoftWindowsServer8">Windows Server 2012 operating systems</string><string id="Microsoft.Policies.Products:MicrosoftWindowsServer8_RTM">Windows Server 2012</string><string id="Microsoft.Policies.Products:MicrosoftWindowsServer_10_0">Windows Server 2016 operating systems</string><string id="Microsoft.Policies.Products:MicrosoftWindowsServer_10_0_RTM">Windows Server 2016</string><string id="Microsoft.Policies.Products:MicrosoftWindowsServer_6_3">Windows Server 2012 R2 operating systems</string><string id="Microsoft.Policies.Products:MicrosoftWindowsServer_6_3_RTM">Windows Server 2012 R2</string><string id="Microsoft.Policies.Products:MicrosoftWindowsVista">Windows Vista operating systems</string><string id="Microsoft.Policies.Products:MicrosoftWindowsVista_RTM">Windows Vista</string><string id="Microsoft.Policies.Products:MicrosoftWindowsVista_SP1">Windows Vista Service Pack 1</string><string id="Microsoft.Policies.Products:MicrosoftWindowsXP">Windows XP operating systems</string><string id="Microsoft.Policies.Products:MicrosoftWindowsXP_RTM">Windows XP</string><string id="Microsoft.Policies.Products:MicrosoftWindowsXP_SP1">Windows XP Service Pack 1</string><string id="Microsoft.Policies.Products:MicrosoftWindowsXP_SP2">Windows XP Service Pack 2</string><string id="Microsoft.Policies.Products:MicrosoftWindows_10_0">Windows 10 operating systems</string><string id="Microsoft.Policies.Products:MicrosoftWindows_10_0_RT">Windows 10 RT operating systems</string><string id="Microsoft.Policies.Products:MicrosoftWindows_10_0_RTM">Windows 10</string><string id="Microsoft.Policies.Products:MicrosoftWindows_10_0_RT_RTM">Windows 10 RT</string><string id="Microsoft.Policies.Products:MicrosoftWindows_6_3">Windows 8.1 operating systems</string><string id="Microsoft.Policies.Products:MicrosoftWindows_6_3_RT">Windows RT 8.1 operating systems</string><string id="Microsoft.Policies.Products:MicrosoftWindows_6_3_RTM">Windows 8.1</string><string id="Microsoft.Policies.Products:MicrosoftWindows_6_3_RT_RTM">Windows RT 8.1</string><string id="Microsoft.Policies.Products:MicrosoftWindows_RT">Windows RT operating systems</string><string id="Microsoft.Policies.Products:MicrosoftWindows_RT_RTM">Windows RT</string><string id="Microsoft.Policies.Products:WindowsServer2008">Windows Server 2008 operating systems</string><string id="Microsoft.Policies.Products:WindowsServer2008_R2">Windows Server 2008 R2</string><string id="Microsoft.Policies.Products:WindowsServer2008_RTM">Windows Server 2008</string></strings>
Microsoft.Policies.Windows:category:StartMenu
<category displayName="$(string.StartMenu)" explainText="$(string.StartMenu_Help)" name="StartMenu" xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/GroupPolicy/2006/07/PolicyDefinitions" />
<strings><string id="Microsoft.Policies.Windows:StartMenu">Start Menu and Taskbar</string><string id="Microsoft.Policies.Windows:StartMenu_Help">Contains settings that allow you to add, remove, or disable items from the Start menu, taskbar, and notification area.</string></strings>
Microsoft.Policies.Windows:definition:SUPPORTED_Windows7To2k
<definition displayName="$(string.SUPPORTED_Windows7To2k)" name="SUPPORTED_Windows7To2k" xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/GroupPolicy/2006/07/PolicyDefinitions">
        <or>
          <range maxVersionIndex="6" minVersionIndex="1" ref="Microsoft.Policies.Products:MicrosoftWindows" />
        </or>
      </definition>
<strings><string id="Microsoft.Policies.Windows:SUPPORTED_Windows7To2k">Windows Server 2008, Windows Server 2003, Windows 7, Windows Vista, Windows XP, and Windows 2000</string></strings>