"Most Used" is weird after 26H2 update

from Stardock Forums

Has anyone seen any weirdness with the "Most Used" section after updating Windows 11 to 26H2?

I updated today, and running the latest ver of Start11 v2 ver 2.81.

I've tried all the suggestions I've found online - but they're actually all set up properly, as this has been working fine.

I can get some apps to appear in the list - but only if I run them from "all programs" in start11. Others (started the same way) don't appear. There doesn't seem to be a pattern.

I never use the actual Windows 11 start menu - but it doesn't seem to be working either. Right now it only contains one app (Firefox), but Start11 has 3 - and Firefox is not one of them.

Maybe the Windows update has screwed up the most used list and/or Start11 is looking in a different place for it?

 Here's an example of the stuff I've found online. All of the settings are configured correctly and th eregistry settings just force the list to be shown. The list is already there - but it's not being populated.

https://www.ninjaone.com/blog/most-used-apps-list-on-the-windows-11-start-menu/

Does anyone have any ideas what's going on?

Is it broken in Windows 11? Or is Start11 missing something since 26H2 is installed?

Thanks.

John B

Stardock Software Start Menu Products 26H2 Type: Discussion
546 views 8 replies
Reply #1 from Stardock Forums Top

Hello,
Sorry to hear you are having issues. I have forwarded your problem/question to Stardock Support Team for their assistance. Please keep an eye on this thread for any updates. We appreciate your feedback and patience. Thank you.

Basj,
Stardock Community Assistant

Reply #2 from Stardock Forums Top

Thanks Basj,

I've tried all the obvious things - but there's no pattern for what appears and (mostly) doesn't appear in the "most used" list.

Rgds,

John B

Fences - Organize your desktop icons today!
Reply #3 from Stardock Forums Top

Is there any news on this?

Is anyone else seeing this?

I'm getting some programs appear in the most used list and some don't - only from "all programs" though - never from shortcuts or pinned items.

Reply #4 from Stardock Forums Top

Sorry, but nothing yet, however, I have forward your issue again to Support for their review and recommendation. We appreciate your feedback and patience.

Thank you,

Basj,
Stardock Community Assistant

Reply #5 from Stardock Forums Top

Hi John,

Thank you for your patience, and for providing these details.  

The fact that the Windows Start menu's Most Used list is wrong seems to be a useful note.  The 26H2 update could have affected the usage information Windows keeps, not just Start11.  You're the first to report this, which could be helpful to other users updating Windows.

Two questions:

  1. Are the apps you expect to see, but which are missing, already pinned in Start11?  Windows leaves pinned apps out of its Most Used list, so that could explain why some never appear.
  2. Since you mentioned updating on the 30th, has the list started to fill in at all with normal use? A feature update could have reset Windows' usage history, which then builds back up over time.

If you'd like to rule Start11 in or out, you could also check if Windows Sandbox is available to you.  That would give a clean copy of your current Windows build to test in:

Sandbox starts with no usage history, so you'd need to launch a few apps several times from Start11 before checking.  If Most Used fills in correctly there, both in Start11 and in the Windows Start menu, the problem is likely the result of existing usage data rather than from Start11.

I'll also note this for the developer as a 26H2-specific mention as well.

Best regards,

Adam McGuinness
Stardock Support Specialist

Reply #6 from Stardock Forums Top

Hi Adam,

Thanks for getting back to me.

Yes the list is starting to fill up. You're right that anything pinned to the Start11 menu isn't showing up. Is that the way it's always been? Wouldn't you want these apps to show up in "most used"?

I'm not 100% sure - but it seems to only include apps that are in Start11 -> all Programs, but not pinned apps and not apps that are pinned to my desktop.

Again - this isn't really a show stopper, but I'm pretty sure all these pinned (Start11 and desktop) apps used to appear in "recently used".

rgds,

John B

Reply #7 from Stardock Forums Top

Items pinned to the taskbar do not show, this is normal as they are already on your screen.  If you have likewise pinned them to the Win7 menu you wouldn't need them in the list below the pinned items as they are in the pinned items list on the very same menu.

I am assuming you are using the Win7/Modern style menu?

Reply #8 from Stardock Forums Top

Hi Neil,

It's the ones pinned to the Start11 menu (or the desktop) that don't appear - only ones from "All Programs"