One of the distinguished new elements in Windows 11 was the new right-click (contextual) menu.Default context menu in Windows 11 As you can observe from the image above, some options that were previously available in the older operating systems, such as “Give access to” and “Send to,” are missing from the menu. Moreover, the Copy, Paste, and Cut options have been shifted from the list view to tiny buttons at the top of the menu. In Windows 11, if you want to view the complete options as you did in the older operating system, you must either click on Show more options in the context menu or select an item and then use the Shift + F10 shortcut keys to open the complete menu. However, you can now remove the Show more options button and access the old context menu directly using the right-click button on your mouse.
Restore Old Right-Click Context Menu in Windows 11
Previously, you could eliminate the Show more options button using a third-party tool. Now, you can also achieve the same without having to download any external tools or utilities. Perform the following steps to get the job done: Note: This process involves manual manipulation of the Windows Registry. Misconfiguration of critical values in the system’s registry could be fatal for your operating system. Therefore, we insist that you create a system restore point before proceeding forward with the process. As the computer reboots, you can now right-click on any item or the desktop to see that you have restored the old contextual menu. You now no longer need to click multiple buttons to reach the full-length context menu. If you want to bring back the default Windows 11 context menu, all you need to do is run the following command in an elevated Command Prompt, which will delete the registry added, and then reboot the computer. When asked for a confirmation, enter Y for Yes.
Final Thoughts
The older contextual menu, such as the one in Windows 10, was easier to use. Even if not, we had gotten used to it, and upgrading to Windows 11 had not made it easier. The design isn’t only different, but to access several options, an additional Show more options button needs to be clicked. Therefore, we at Itechtics are sticking with the older ways for our Windows 11 PC. That said, we came across another method to restore the old context menu in Windows 11. This involves selecting the “Launch folder windows in a separate process” in the Folder Options menu. However, after testing it out, it no longer functions for us. Therefore, the method discussed above, as well as the third-party tool are the only methods currently effective in restoring the old context menu. Also see:
How to Restore Old Windows 10 Right-Click Context Menu in Windows 112 Ways To Add “Permanently Delete” To Context Menu In Windows 11/103 Ways To Add Task Manager In Taskbar Context Menu In Windows 11How To Add Windows Update Shortcut To Context Menu In Windows 11/10How To Show Hidden And Protected Files And Folders In Windows 11/10
