If you want to see recently opened files in Windows 11, then open Recent Items folder, use File Explorer Home, Taskbar, Start menu, etc.

Locating recently downloaded files isn't a problem when you manually chose the download location. However, many programs automatically download files to a preset location, or you may have blindly ...

By default, File Explorer in Windows 10 has a recent-files section when you open to the Quick Access section.

Windows Search doesn't look particularly effective. But with a little knowledge and tweaking, you can find almost anything you're looking for.