Windows 11’s shorter right-click menu is built into File Explorer. You can use the classic menu when needed, but there is no supported Settings page for freely redesigning every context-menu command.
How to do it
- Right-click a file, folder, or desktop area to open the Windows 11 context menu.
- Choose Show more options when you need a command that appears only in the classic menu; Shift+F10 can also open the extended context menu in many situations.
- To change app-specific entries, use that application’s own settings or uninstall the shell extension/app if you no longer need it.
- Use Open with > Choose another app to change file-opening behavior rather than trying to edit the context menu directly.
- Restart File Explorer or sign out/in after a legitimate shell-extension change if the menu has not refreshed.
About registry modifications
Internet guides offer registry tweaks that force older context-menu behavior, but Microsoft can change unsupported shell behavior in Windows updates. These tweaks may stop working and can complicate troubleshooting. Prefer the built-in Show more options command unless you have a managed, tested reason to alter the shell.
What to know
Be cautious with third-party context-menu editors because shell extensions run inside File Explorer and poorly written ones can cause crashes or slow right-click menus.
Practical details
Some third-party applications add context-menu commands during installation. If right-click has become slow, disable/uninstall recently added shell-integrating software one item at a time and test again. A clean Windows user profile can also help distinguish a per-user shell problem from a system-wide issue.
Kermit Matthews is a freelance writer based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania with more than a decade of experience writing technology guides. He has a Bachelor’s and Master’s degree in Computer Science and has spent much of his professional career in IT management.
He specializes in writing content about iPhones, Android devices, Microsoft Office, and many other popular applications and devices.