Recent files - where?

Hello, where do I see the (list of) recent files?

They are not shown in "Files" nor "Files > Open SPECIAL/Recent".

If recent files are enabled, you can see them in File / Open Special
or in small arrow next Open button on the toolbar or on the tab when you press Ctrl+N (New file)

Recent files are enabled in Program settings / Files
Recent files are stored in file Recent.ini. In case you unpack ZIP into program files (portable version), PSPad has no rights to write there. Run PSPad as admin, go to program settings / System and check Multiuser environment. Restart PSPad.

Ok, I used the installer and had the multiuser option not set.

recent.ini is here:
C:\Users\[user]\AppData\Roaming\PSpad
and it contains the recent files correctly. Ok.

After running pspad as admin and activating the multiuser option > it shows the recent files. So, thanks so far.

What I'm missing is the option to open a new window (/instance) when you open a recent file, instead of just replacing the current window (or setting itself on top of the window stack).

I guess you have installed version. Now you installed new version over existing, but you installed is as portable. Portable version has multiuser set OFF, non portable ON.
Multiuser version has files stored in user profile (%AppDAta\PSPad), portable version in the PSPad folder.

I only installed once, so it was me who changed 'multiuser' setting at first (without understanding the effects).