Microsoft has officially stopped its new “Recommended Files” feature in Windows 11 File Explorer.The feature was first rolled out to all users on October 28 after months of testing, but on November 5, Microsoft hit the brakes. "These features, previously listed in the October 2025 non-security updates, will be rolled out at a future date," Microsoft noted in the update log.
The new feature is designed to showcase recently downloaded or frequently used files, as well as recent activity in cloud files and shared documents on OneDrive, in the form of large thumbnails at the top of the File Explorer Home tab.
This feature is on by default but allows users to turn it off via the "Show recommendations" setting in File Explorer > Options.
At the same time, Microsoft has also suspended the promotion of StorageProvider APIs, which was supposed to allow third-party cloud storage providers (such as Google Drive, etc.) to display cloud placeholder files similar to OneDrive in File Explorer.
At present, Microsoft has not yet given an official explanation as to why these two features have been suspended and when they will resume promotion. However, the "Recommended Files" feature has been tested within the company and in consumer testing channels for several years, and is generally expected to return again in the near future.