diff --git a/src/KeyKeeper/Services/RecentFilesService.cs b/src/KeyKeeper/Services/RecentFilesService.cs
index ea12e0d..5b253db 100644
--- a/src/KeyKeeper/Services/RecentFilesService.cs
+++ b/src/KeyKeeper/Services/RecentFilesService.cs
@@ -1,7 +1,9 @@
 using System;
+using System.Collections.Generic;
 using System.Collections.ObjectModel;
 using System.IO;
 using System.Linq;
+using System.Text.Json;
 using KeyKeeper.Models;
 
 namespace KeyKeeper.Services;
@@ -24,6 +26,33 @@ internal class RecentFilesService : IRecentFilesService
         recentFilesPath = Path.Combine(appDataDirectory, RecentFilesFilename);
     }
 
+    public void Load()
+    {
+        RecentFiles.Clear();
+
+        if (!File.Exists(recentFilesPath))
+        {
+            return;
+        }
+
+        try
+        {
+            var content = File.ReadAllText(recentFilesPath);
+            var loadedFiles = JsonSerializer.Deserialize<List<RecentFile>>(content) ?? new List<RecentFile>();
+
+            foreach (var recentFile in loadedFiles
+                         .OrderByDescending(file => file.LastOpened)
+                         .Take(maxEntries))
+            {
+                RecentFiles.Add(recentFile);
+            }
+        }
+        catch
+        {
+            // ignore broken data and continue with empty recent files
+        }
+    }
+
     public void Remember(string filename)
     {
         RemoveIfExists(filename);