Windows 11 users can now enhance their context menu through registry edits and third-party tools, offering greater customization options.
Registry Modifications
Users can manually add programs to the Windows 11 context menu by editing the registry. This involves creating a new key under HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Directory\Background\shell and setting the command subkey to the executable's path. To add icons, an Icon string value must be included. For specific file types, modifications are made under HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\SystemFileAssociations\.ext\shell, with "%1" appended to pass the clicked file to the executable.
Third-Party Tools
Easy Context Menu, a portable application, provides a graphical interface to manage context menu entries, writing registry keys in the background. The Custom Context Menu app, available on the Microsoft Store, integrates as a modern shell extension, displaying custom entries under its own heading. Nilesoft Shell, an open-source solution, offers a fully customizable modern menu, allowing users to edit configuration files for personalized entries.
Restoring Classic Menu
To permanently restore the full classic context menu, users can execute a specific registry command and restart Explorer. This can be undone by deleting the registry entry. It is recommended to back up or create a system restore point before making any registry changes.
