Turn off account-based insights, recent, favorite, and recommended files in File Explorer
Verified with Windows 11 25H2 — updated on July 30, 2026
Supported on: At least Windows 11 Version 22H2
Path in the GPO console
Computer Configuration\Administrative Templates\Windows Components\File Explorer Description
Turning off this setting will prevent File Explorer from requesting cloud file metadata and displaying it in the homepage and other views in File Explorer. Any insights and files available based on account activity will be stopped in views such as Recent, Recommended, Favorites, Details pane, etc.
Registry
HKLM
Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Explorer Value name: DisableGraphRecentItems
Enabled: DisableGraphRecentItems = 1
Disabled: DisableGraphRecentItems = 0
MDM / Intune (CSP)
./Device/Vendor/MSFT/Policy/Config/FileExplorer/DisableGraphRecentItems Microsoft Learn documentation Mapping data: Microsoft Learn (CC BY 4.0)
CSP values
-
0 (Default)- File Explorer will request cloud file metadata and display it in the homepage and other views. -
1- File Explorer won't request cloud file metadata or display it in the homepage or other views.
Export Builder
BETAConfigure the state, scope and options, then generate .reg, PowerShell, Intune and SCCM outputs — or add the setting to a multi-setting collection.
These exports write the registry — this is not a managed GPO. ⓘ
.reg file
Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00
; Exported from gporais.com
; Policy: Turn off account-based insights, recent, favorite, and recommended files in File Explorer
; State: Enabled
; Supported on: At least Windows 11 Version 22H2
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Explorer]
"DisableGraphRecentItems"=dword:00000001More formats (PowerShell, Intune, SCCM)
PowerShell
# Exported from gporais.com
# Policy: Turn off account-based insights, recent, favorite, and recommended files in File Explorer
# State: Enabled
# Supported on: At least Windows 11 Version 22H2
$path = 'HKLM:\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Explorer'
New-Item -Path $path -Force | Out-Null
Set-ItemProperty -Path $path -Name 'DisableGraphRecentItems' -Value 1 -Type DWordIntune XML
OMA-URI: ./Device/Vendor/MSFT/Policy/Config/FileExplorer/DisableGraphRecentItems
Data type: String
Value:
<enabled/>Intune Remediation
# === Detection script ===
# Exported from gporais.com
# Policy: Turn off account-based insights, recent, favorite, and recommended files in File Explorer
# State: Enabled
# Supported on: At least Windows 11 Version 22H2
function Test-RegistryValue {
param(
[Parameter(Mandatory = $true)][string]$Path,
[Parameter(Mandatory = $true)][string]$Name,
[object]$Expected,
[ValidateSet('String', 'DWord', 'MultiString')][string]$Kind = 'String',
[switch]$Absent
)
try {
$item = Get-ItemProperty -LiteralPath $Path -Name $Name -ErrorAction Stop
} catch {
return $Absent.IsPresent
}
if ($Absent.IsPresent) { return $false }
$actual = $item.$Name
if ($Kind -eq 'DWord') { return ([int64]$actual) -eq ([int64]$Expected) }
if ($Kind -eq 'MultiString') {
$actualValues = @($actual)
$expectedValues = @($Expected)
if ($actualValues.Count -ne $expectedValues.Count) { return $false }
for ($i = 0; $i -lt $expectedValues.Count; $i++) {
if ([string]$actualValues[$i] -ne [string]$expectedValues[$i]) { return $false }
}
return $true
}
return [string]$actual -eq [string]$Expected
}
$checks = @(
(Test-RegistryValue -Path 'HKLM:\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Explorer' -Name 'DisableGraphRecentItems' -Expected 1 -Kind DWord)
)
if ($checks -notcontains $false) {
Write-Output 'Compliant'
exit 0
}
Write-Output 'Non-compliant'
exit 1
# === Remediation script ===
# Exported from gporais.com
# Policy: Turn off account-based insights, recent, favorite, and recommended files in File Explorer
# State: Enabled
# Supported on: At least Windows 11 Version 22H2
$path = 'HKLM:\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Explorer'
New-Item -Path $path -Force | Out-Null
Set-ItemProperty -Path $path -Name 'DisableGraphRecentItems' -Value 1 -Type DWordSCCM scripts
# Exported from gporais.com
# Policy: Turn off account-based insights, recent, favorite, and recommended files in File Explorer
# State: Enabled
# Supported on: At least Windows 11 Version 22H2
# SCCM Configuration Item guidance:
# Create a Configuration Item of type "Setting: Script".
# Discovery script: use the Detection script below.
# Remediation script: use the Remediation script below.
# Compliance rule: the Discovery script output equals 'Compliant'.
# === Detection script ===
# Exported from gporais.com
# Policy: Turn off account-based insights, recent, favorite, and recommended files in File Explorer
# State: Enabled
# Supported on: At least Windows 11 Version 22H2
function Test-RegistryValue {
param(
[Parameter(Mandatory = $true)][string]$Path,
[Parameter(Mandatory = $true)][string]$Name,
[object]$Expected,
[ValidateSet('String', 'DWord', 'MultiString')][string]$Kind = 'String',
[switch]$Absent
)
try {
$item = Get-ItemProperty -LiteralPath $Path -Name $Name -ErrorAction Stop
} catch {
return $Absent.IsPresent
}
if ($Absent.IsPresent) { return $false }
$actual = $item.$Name
if ($Kind -eq 'DWord') { return ([int64]$actual) -eq ([int64]$Expected) }
if ($Kind -eq 'MultiString') {
$actualValues = @($actual)
$expectedValues = @($Expected)
if ($actualValues.Count -ne $expectedValues.Count) { return $false }
for ($i = 0; $i -lt $expectedValues.Count; $i++) {
if ([string]$actualValues[$i] -ne [string]$expectedValues[$i]) { return $false }
}
return $true
}
return [string]$actual -eq [string]$Expected
}
$checks = @(
(Test-RegistryValue -Path 'HKLM:\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Explorer' -Name 'DisableGraphRecentItems' -Expected 1 -Kind DWord)
)
if ($checks -notcontains $false) {
Write-Output 'Compliant'
exit 0
}
Write-Output 'Non-compliant'
exit 1
# === Remediation script ===
# Exported from gporais.com
# Policy: Turn off account-based insights, recent, favorite, and recommended files in File Explorer
# State: Enabled
# Supported on: At least Windows 11 Version 22H2
$path = 'HKLM:\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Explorer'
New-Item -Path $path -Force | Out-Null
Set-ItemProperty -Path $path -Name 'DisableGraphRecentItems' -Value 1 -Type DWordBuilding a multi-setting collection? Add this setting and generate combined .reg / PowerShell / GPO scripts.