Show or hide Recent Items on the Start menu - Windows 7

To add Recent Items to the Start menu

1. Open Taskbar and Start Menu Properties by clicking the Start button , clicking Control Panel, clicking Appearance and Personalization, and then clicking Taskbar and Start Menu.
2. Click the Start Menu tab. Under Privacy, select the Store and display recently opened items in the Start menu and the taskbar check box, if it isn't already selected.
3. Click Customize. In the Customize Start Menu dialog box, scroll through the list of options to find the Recent Itemscheck box, select it, click OK, and then click OK again. (To remove Recent Items from the Start menu, clear the Recent Items check box, click OK, and then click OK again.)