How to get Windows 10 context menu in Windows 11 – Easy Steps

Windows 11 has new context menus. The general opinion about these new context menus is that they are not very good. They have replaced text labels with buttons and users get a default shortcut menu when they right-click anywhere. For additional options, the context menu must be expanded. Users basically have to double click to see all the options in the context menu.

Windows 10 context menu in Windows 11

Microsoft has been actively blocking ways to undo its new context menu, however there is a registry hack that allows you to block the new context menu. Once locked, users get the old context menu they had in Windows 10. The hack is easily reversible and applies to file context menus as well as the desktop context menu.

Get Windows 10 context menu in Windows 11

To get the above context menu, you need to edit the registry and for this you need administrator rights.

1. Open command prompt with administrator rights.
2. Run this command: reg add HKCUSoftwareClassesCLSID{86ca1aa0-34aa-4e8b-a509-50c905bae2a2}InprocServer32 /ve /d “” /f
3. Once the command has finished (it should only take a few seconds), run this command: taskkill / im explorer.exe / f & explorer.exe
4. The taskbar and desktop background will disappear when you run the command and will return automatically; however, if not, run this command: explorer.exe.
5. Right click on a file or desktop and you will get the old context menu.

Restore Windows 11 context menu

If you don’t want to use the Windows 10 context menu and prefer to get used to the new user interface, you can undo this trick.

1. Tap the Win + R keyboard shortcut to open the run box.
2. In the run box, enter regedit and tap Enter.
3. Go to HKEY_CURRENT_USERSoftwareClassesCLSID
4. Right click on the {86ca1aa0-34aa-4e8b-a509-50c905bae2a2} below it and select delete from the context menu.
5. Open Task Manager.
6. Go to the Processes tab.
7. Select Windows Explorer and click the End Task button.
8. The taskbar and desktop background will automatically disappear and reappear, but if not, tap the Win + R keyboard shortcut to open the run box.
9. In the run box, enter explorer.exe and tap Enter.
10. The Windows 11 context menu will be restored.

conclusion

Microsoft may or may not block this trick eventually. When users ‘expand’ the new shortcut menu they basically get the old menu but in a different wrapper. For some users, the new context menu is better since it relies on icons for common tasks like copying, pasting, and sharing. One thing is for sure, developers will want to try and make Windows 11 look as much like Windows 10 as possible.