Go to File -> Options -> Client Settings, scroll down, under Display, check if "Show this number of recent databases" is set correctly.  Try changing it.

I found the setting and changed it to 30, shut down, then restarted, nothing. So I went in changed it to 25, shut down the whole computer, started back up went into Access again and no databases here is a shot of the setting

Does opening databases put them on the recent list?

See if Word and Excel have the same problem with their recent file lists.  The setting is a similar place: File -> Options -> Advanced -> Display.  Again, open documents and see they are put on the recent list.

With Access opened, pin the Access icon on the Windows taskbar.  Open a few databases.  Right-click on the Access icon on the Windows taskbar, and that will also open a recent file list (see picture below).  See if the list works there.  

Recently used file lists are stored inside the Windows registry; so if they suddenly disappear, I would be a little worried.  Hopefully the worst outcome is just having to resintall Office.

I ended up re-installing office and that took care of it. Thanks for the suggestion

I just updated Windows Defender and it all works again.