Maximum number of recent documents
Verified with Windows 11 25H2 — updated on July 30, 2026
Supported on: Windows Server 2008, Windows Server 2003, Windows 7, Windows Vista, Windows XP, and Windows 2000
Path in the GPO console
User Configuration\Administrative Templates\Windows Components\File Explorer Description
"This policy setting allows you to set the maximum number of shortcuts the system can display in the Recent Items menu on the Start menu. The Recent Items menu contains shortcuts to the nonprogram files the user has most recently opened. If you enable this policy setting, the system displays the number of shortcuts specified by the policy setting. If you disable or do not configure this policy setting, by default, the system displays shortcuts to the 10 most recently opened documents."
Registry
HKCU
Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer MDM / Intune (CSP)
./User/Vendor/MSFT/Policy/Config/ADMX_WindowsExplorer/MaxRecentDocs Microsoft Learn documentation Mapping data: Microsoft Learn (CC BY 4.0)
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: Maximum number of recent documents
; State: Enabled
; Supported on: Windows Server 2008, Windows Server 2003, Windows 7, Windows Vista, Windows XP, and Windows 2000
[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer]
"MaxRecentDocs"=dword:00000096More formats (PowerShell, Intune, SCCM)
PowerShell
# Exported from gporais.com
# Policy: Maximum number of recent documents
# State: Enabled
# Supported on: Windows Server 2008, Windows Server 2003, Windows 7, Windows Vista, Windows XP, and Windows 2000
# Warning: In SYSTEM context (the Intune default), HKCU targets the SYSTEM profile. Run this script using the logged-on credentials.
$path = 'HKCU:\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer'
New-Item -Path $path -Force | Out-Null
Set-ItemProperty -Path $path -Name 'MaxRecentDocs' -Value 150 -Type DWordIntune XML
OMA-URI: ./User/Vendor/MSFT/Policy/Config/ADMX_WindowsExplorer/MaxRecentDocs
Data type: String
Value:
<enabled/>
<data id="MaxRecentDocs" value="150"/>Intune Remediation
# === Detection script ===
# Exported from gporais.com
# Policy: Maximum number of recent documents
# State: Enabled
# Supported on: Windows Server 2008, Windows Server 2003, Windows 7, Windows Vista, Windows XP, and Windows 2000
# Warning: In SYSTEM context (the Intune default), HKCU targets the SYSTEM profile. Run this script using the logged-on credentials.
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
}
$checks = @(
(Test-RegistryValue -Path 'HKCU:\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer' -Name 'MaxRecentDocs' -Expected 150 -Kind DWord)
)
if ($checks -notcontains $false) {
Write-Output 'Compliant'
exit 0
}
Write-Output 'Non-compliant'
exit 1
# === Remediation script ===
# Exported from gporais.com
# Policy: Maximum number of recent documents
# State: Enabled
# Supported on: Windows Server 2008, Windows Server 2003, Windows 7, Windows Vista, Windows XP, and Windows 2000
# Warning: In SYSTEM context (the Intune default), HKCU targets the SYSTEM profile. Run this script using the logged-on credentials.
$path = 'HKCU:\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer'
New-Item -Path $path -Force | Out-Null
Set-ItemProperty -Path $path -Name 'MaxRecentDocs' -Value 150 -Type DWordSCCM scripts
# Exported from gporais.com
# Policy: Maximum number of recent documents
# State: Enabled
# Supported on: Windows Server 2008, Windows Server 2003, Windows 7, Windows Vista, Windows XP, and Windows 2000
# 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: Maximum number of recent documents
# State: Enabled
# Supported on: Windows Server 2008, Windows Server 2003, Windows 7, Windows Vista, Windows XP, and Windows 2000
# Warning: In SYSTEM context (the Intune default), HKCU targets the SYSTEM profile. Run this script using the logged-on credentials.
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
}
$checks = @(
(Test-RegistryValue -Path 'HKCU:\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer' -Name 'MaxRecentDocs' -Expected 150 -Kind DWord)
)
if ($checks -notcontains $false) {
Write-Output 'Compliant'
exit 0
}
Write-Output 'Non-compliant'
exit 1
# === Remediation script ===
# Exported from gporais.com
# Policy: Maximum number of recent documents
# State: Enabled
# Supported on: Windows Server 2008, Windows Server 2003, Windows 7, Windows Vista, Windows XP, and Windows 2000
# Warning: In SYSTEM context (the Intune default), HKCU targets the SYSTEM profile. Run this script using the logged-on credentials.
$path = 'HKCU:\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer'
New-Item -Path $path -Force | Out-Null
Set-ItemProperty -Path $path -Name 'MaxRecentDocs' -Value 150 -Type DWordBuilding a multi-setting collection? Add this setting and generate combined .reg / PowerShell / GPO scripts.