This issue was bugging me and the link worked: https://www.makeuseof.com/tag/how-to-prevent-auto-added-files-folders-in-quick-access/
One of the nice things about modern tips tricks and issues these days is there is so often a video on what you are needing help with.
Quick access is very useful, it will only display a limited number of folders, ten in total + three system folders, I pin important ones like my development folder 'Visual Studio 2019' and the others below it, so I only have 4 folders that ever change depending on use, in this image below starting with 'cache' . One thing I wish more people would use is the keyboard shortcut that opens a new instance of Windows Explorer, it drives me nuts watching people drag a mouse to the yellow icon on the taskbar and clicking when all they have to do is hit the WindowsKey + E at the same time.
I have a few Windows Explorer icons on the desktop and WindowsKey + E is much better, thanks Icons deleted now. I have a Thinkpad T460 and the screen real estate is quite limiting! I have never looked at multiple monitors as the laptop is mostly on my lap I know you have a better Thinkpad but the T460 is so easy to rest on my lap. I have fallen asleep so many times with it on my legs and it has never fallen off.....
Who was this question for, John? oss was asking how you find and manage files if you use a mac. I use multiple copies of File Explorer in Windows to compare folders.
Another keyboard shortcut :- After WindowsKey + E press WindowsKey + Left Arrow Your Explorer Window is now docked to the left. Do the same thing again but with the Right Arrow key and you have a second Explorer docked perfectly to the right. This applies to all applications not just Explorer and is good for comparing folders. It is also worth experimenting with the WindowsKey + Up and Down keys to get a feel for what they can do the behaviour is not identical in every application. Yes I was asking if Finder was the equivalent of Explorer, I've honestly never used a Mac.