How to Get Back the Old Context Menu on Your Windows 11 PC 1

How to Get Back the Old Context Menu on Your Windows 11 PC

To be honest, I like the new context menu in Windows 11. It’s a good mix of old and modern UI elements and also gives you a new “Copy as Path” option. However, there are users who want the Windows 10 context menu on Windows 11 because of the many other options it offers. So, if you are one of those users who want to disable the “Show more options” option on their Windows 11 PC and get the old full-size context menu back, follow this tutorial and get it back in seconds. You can also learn how Windows 11 will look like Windows 10.

Get Legacy Context Menu in Windows 11 (2021)

We added two ways to restore old right click menu in Windows 11. The first is the easiest and shortest way, while the second is a manual method and requires more Windows knowledge. Therefore, it also takes more time. According to your expertise, you can choose the method you want from the table below.

Difference Between New and Old Context Menu

With Windows 11, Microsoft added a new context menu that follows the revamped Fluent design language. It comes in a minimal design, has rounded corners, transparent UI and design elements that follow the mobile interface. What is noteworthy is that Microsoft has continued to move forward and removed some traditional options from the right-click menu. For example, if you right-click on a file or folder, you won’t see the option to set the advanced sharing option or the option to create a shortcut right away.

Left: New Windows 11 context menu | Right: Legacy Windows 10 context menu

The problem gets worse when you want to use it. action from a third party app. For example, the new context menu does not show any action from applications like WinZip or 7-Zip. You have to click “Show more options” to see the old context menu and then perform any special 7-Zip action that takes too many clicks and defeats the purpose.

Not to mention, Microsoft also Removed basic options like cut, copy, paste, etc. and moved them to the top of the context menu. So users now need to take a design cue (basically relearn) to understand what each button means and does. While most users will get used to the new context menu, I think older users will have a hard time dealing with the new right-click menu.

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So, if you want to get the trusty old context menu back from Windows 10, follow our guide below.

Bring Back Old Context Menu in Windows 11 (Easiest Method)

With a third-party app called Winaero Tweaker, you can bring back the old context menu in Windows 11 without getting your hands dirty. The popular program has added a Windows 11 tweak section and it works like a charm as always. I tested this software on both stable (22000.194) and Dev versions of Windows 11 and did not encounter any issues. To get the old right-click menu back, follow these steps:

1. First go ahead and Download Winaero Tweaker (free). After that, extract the ZIP file and run the EXE file. Now install the program as you would any other application.

2. Then open the program and go to the “Windows 11” section in the left pane. Next, “Classic Full Context MenusUnder the Windows 11 section and enable the checkbox in the right pane.

Get Legacy Context Menu in Windows 11 (2021)

3. After enabling the checkbox, a “restart explorer” option is at the bottom. Click on it.

winaero tweaker legacy context menu windows 11

4. Now go ahead and right click on your desktop or any file and folder. You will see that the old context menu in Windows 10 is back in Windows 11. This is very easy, isn’t it?

winaero tweaker legacy context menu windows 11

5. Now, if you want Go back to Windows 11’s new right-click menu, click “Reset this page to defaults” at the top and restart Explorer. You will get back the rounded corner UI and the “Show more options” button.

wine

If you want a simpler tool, one click solution to revert to old context menu In Windows 11 go ahead and download this app called Windows 11 Classic Context Menu (free). Removes the “Show more options” button and restores the classic, full-size Windows 10 style context menu in Windows 11.

Restore Old Context Menu in Windows 11 (Registration Method)

If you are someone who likes to manually change things on your Windows computer, this method is for you. In Windows 11, you can restore the old right-click menu by adding some values ​​to the Registry. Here’s how to do it.

1. Press the Windows 11 keyboard shortcut “Windows + R” to open a Run window. here, type regedit and press Enter.

Get Legacy File Explorer in Windows 11

2. Next, go ahead and paste the address below in Registry Editor. It will take you to the CLSID entry.

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Computer\HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Classes\CLSID
record

3. Under the CLSID folder, right-click on the empty space in the right pane and New -> Key.

Restore Old Context Menu in Windows 11 (Manual Method)

4. After that copy the following string and rename new key.

{86ca1aa0-34aa-4e8b-a509-50c905bae2a2}
Restore Old Context Menu in Windows 11 (Manual Method)

5. Next, right-click new entry in the left pane and select New -> Key.

Restore Old Context Menu in Windows 11 (Manual Method)

6. Rename InprocServer32 and press Enter.

Restore Old Context Menu in Windows 11 (Manual Method)

7. Now, navigate to the “InprocServer32” folder and double click on “.Default” in the right pane. After that, click “OK” without changing any values.

Restore Old Context Menu in Windows 11 (Manual Method)

8. Now, close Registry Editor and restart Windows Explorer from Task Manager. Or, you can simply restart your PC. Finally, you will see that the old context menu is back in Windows 11. Enjoy!

old right click menu windows 11

9. If you want to restore the new Windows 11 context menu, delete the new Registry key and restart your computer. This much.

delete registry

Get Windows 10 Right Click Menu in Windows 11

These are the two ways you can use to get the old context menu in Windows 11. For most users, Winaero Tweaker is a great and adequate tool. However, power users can manually tweak the Registry and get the classic context menu in Windows 11. The best part is that you get the old right-click menu on your desktop and files and folders. Anyway, that’s it for us. If you want to reduce the bloat of Windows 11 for a smooth and fast experience, go to our linked tutorial. And for custom widgets in Windows 11, this article will cover all your needs. Finally, if you have any questions, comment below and let us know.

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