How to Replace Quick Access With Favorites in Win­dows 10

If you miss the old Favorites section from earlier versions of Windows, you’re not alone. Windows 10 replaced it with Quick Access, which works similarly but comes with its own quirks—like automatically showing frequently used folders and recent files, whether you want it to or not.

The good news? You can bring back the Favorites experience and even replace Quick Access in File Explorer. Here’s how to do it step-by-step.

Why Replace Quick Access?

Quick Access shows recent files and folders by default, which can clutter your workspace and expose documents you’d rather keep private. With Favorites, you control what shows up—nothing more, nothing less.

Step 1: Turn Off Quick Access Auto-Population

1. Open File Explorer.
2. Click the View tab at the top, then choose Options > Change folder and search options.
3. In the General tab:
   • Change Open File Explorer to: This PC
   • Uncheck both:
     • “Show recently used files in Quick access”
     • “Show frequently used folders in Quick access”
4. Click OK to save.

This disables the automatic file and folder clutter in Quick Access.

Step 2: Pin Your Own Folders (Like Favorites)

You can now recreate Favorites by manually pinning folders to the Quick Access area.

1. Navigate to a folder you use often.
2. Right-click it and select Pin to Quick access.
3. Repeat for all your favorite folders.

These folders will stay at the top of Quick Access, exactly like Favorites used to work.

Step 3: Rename “Quick Access” to “Favorites” (Optional)

While you can’t rename Quick Access directly, there’s a workaround:

1. Open Registry Editor (press Win + R, type regedit, hit Enter).
2. Go to: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer
3. Right-click the Explorer key > New > Key > name it HubMode.
4. In the right pane, right-click and create a New > DWORD (32-bit) Value named HubMode, then set its value to 1.

This hides Quick Access from File Explorer. You can now use the Favorites folder or any other custom location as your go-to navigation hub.

⚠️ Note: Modifying the registry can cause issues if done incorrectly. Always back it up before making changes.

Bonus: Create a Real Favorites Folder Shortcut

Want the actual old-school Favorites back?

1. Press Win + R, type: shell:favorites
2. This opens the legacy Favorites folder.
3. Right-click the folder in the address bar and choose Pin to Quick access.

You now have your original Favorites folder back—front and center.

Wrap-Up

Quick Access is fine for casual use, but if you prefer a cleaner, more controlled experience, replacing it with a customized Favorites setup is easy and effective. With just a few tweaks, you can get back to a more productive, private, and personalized File Explorer.