How to Customize the Context Menu in Windows 11
- 2 ways to do it
- Includes a restart or sign-out
Customizing context menus in Windows 11 lets you choose which commands appear when you right-click a file, a folder, or the desktop. The context menu is the pop-up list of everyday commands such as copy, paste, rename, and open.
Apps add their own entries over time, so the File Explorer context menu grows long and cluttered. The newest way to trim it is the customizable File Explorer context menu, brought by update KB5127936 (an optional preview update released Oct 27, 2026 for Windows 11 25H2). It lives at Settings Personalization Context menu, with File actions and App actions toggles and an Additional options section for the layout.
The page needs a recent Windows 11 build and may not be on every PC yet. Undo any change by flipping the same switch back.
Open Settings Personalization Context menu to choose which File Explorer context menu commands appear on right-click. Use the File actions and App actions toggles to hide or show entries, then flip a switch back to undo a change. The page needs a recent Windows 11 25H2 build with update KB5127936, so it may not appear on every PC yet.
Step 1Open the New Context Menu Settings Page
Microsoft’s release notes for KB5127936 (Oct 27, 2026) describe a customizable File Explorer context menu for Windows 11 25H2. You can turn built-in commands on or off, add commands such as Print, and choose which app extensions appear. You can also show Cut, Copy, Paste, Rename, Delete, and Share as text instead of icons. The default configuration needs no action, so the menu stays as it is until you change it.
The Windows Insider blog announced this settings page in August 2026. The same feature also appears in Beta Build 26220.9757 (Oct 23, 2026). Windows rolls out new settings in stages, so the page may not have reached your PC. Some options may exist only in Windows Insider preview builds and be missing from stable releases.
Open the settings page with either method below. Both lead to the same page, and both end at step 3.
Method 1The shortcut from the right-click menu
This method opens the Windows 11 context menu settings from the very menu you want to change.
- Right-click an empty space on your desktop or inside a folder. The context menu opens.
The new Windows 11 right-click context menu with File and App actions options - Click Customize menu at the bottom of the menu. Windows hands off to the Settings app.
- Confirm that Settings opens on the context menu page. You should see the File actions and App actions sections.
That’s it. You are on the context menu settings page and can move on to step 4.
Method 2Through the Settings app
This method reaches the same page through the Settings app. Use it if Customize menu does not show in your right-click list.
- Press the Win+I. The Settings app opens.
Windows 11 Start menu search panel for opening OpenSSH Client settings - Click Personalization in the left-hand column. The personalization options appear on the right.
Settings › Personalization - Click Context menu on the right side of the screen. The context menu settings page opens.
That’s it. You are on the same settings page as in Method 1 and can continue at step 4.
To get there faster, type “context menu” into the Settings search box.
If Customize menu is missing from the bottom of your right-click list, or there is no Context menu entry under Personalization, your version of Windows 11 does not have this feature yet. Install all pending updates through Settings Windows Update, restart the PC, and check again. Some PCs get new settings pages later than others.
Step 2Choose Which File Actions You Want to See
File actions are built-in Windows shortcuts for managing files and folders. Each has a toggle switch, so you can hide the ones you never use. Windows also changes which of these options appear based on the kind of file you click. On PCs with KB5127936, Microsoft’s notes also say you can add commands such as Print.
Hiding a command you use every day, such as copying or sharing files, makes your work slower. Leave those on. If you hide something important by mistake, return to this page and turn its switch back on.
These steps remove commands from the File Explorer context menu in Windows 11. They continue from the settings page you opened with either method above.
- Find the File actions section on the context menu settings page. Scroll down if you do not see it.
- Review the toggles. They are listed by file type and command.
- Turn off the switch next to any command you want to remove. The command leaves your right-click list.
- Right-click a file in File Explorer to check the result. The command you turned off should be gone. If it still appears, it may come from an app, so check App actions or restart File Explorer.
You should now have a shorter right-click menu for files and folders, with only the built-in commands you chose to keep.
To get a command back, return to this page and turn its switch on again. Changes normally apply the next time you open the menu. If an old entry still shows up, restart File Explorer (the Windows Explorer process that draws your taskbar and folder windows) with these steps:
- Press Ctrl+Shift+Esc. Task Manager opens.
- Click Processes in the left-hand list if it is not already showing. The running apps appear on the right.
- Right-click Windows Explorer. A small menu opens.
- Choose Restart. Your taskbar and open folder windows disappear for a moment, then come back.
That’s it. File Explorer has reloaded, so right-click a file again to see the updated menu. If the entry is still there, sign out and back in.
Step 3Control App Extensions and Extras
App extensions are extra commands added by programs you install, such as zip tools, photo editors, text editors, or cloud storage tools. Programs add them on their own, so the menu grows longer as you install more software. Turning them off keeps the list short, and the same settings page lets you choose which ones appear.
These steps remove entries that programs added to the File Explorer context menu.
- Click App actions. You find it under the File actions section.
- Look through the list of app extensions. Each entry is named after the program that added it to your right-click menu.
- Turn off the switches for apps you rarely use. For a plainer look, hide entire submenus the same way.
- Right-click a file or folder to check the result. The entries from the apps you switched off should be gone.
That’s it. Your right-click menu now lists only the app entries you kept.
Turning off an extension removes only the menu entry. It does not uninstall the program, and you can switch the entry back on at any time.
Some apps add their commands only to the full classic menu, and Windows may tuck other entries away there too. To open it, select a file and press Shift+F10, or click Show more options at the bottom of the right-click menu. Use it when an expected entry is missing from the short menu.
Removing old app extensions can make the menu feel a bit quicker. Windows has fewer commands to build each time you right-click, and the difference is most noticeable on older or slower PCs.
Step 4Bring Back Classic Menu Styles and Extra Commands
The Additional options section controls where your main commands live and how they look. Use it to restore classic menu styles and change where advanced properties appear, if you prefer how older versions of Windows worked. The text layout for Cut, Copy, Paste, Rename, Delete, and Share comes from KB5127936.
These steps change the layout of the Windows context menu.
- Scroll to the Additional options section at the bottom of the settings page.
- Turn on the setting that lists your main commands as text. Cut, Copy, Paste, Rename, Delete, and Share then appear as a plain text list inside the menu. By default they show as a row of small icons across the top.
- Adjust the setting that moves Properties. It places the Properties button at the very bottom of the list, as in the classic Windows layout.
- Right-click a file in File Explorer to confirm the layout. The menu should show text labels, with Properties at the bottom if you chose that option.
You should now see your chosen layout every time you open the right-click menu.
The exact wording of these settings can vary between Windows 11 builds. If an option is missing from your page, your build does not include it yet, so check Windows Update first. To undo a layout change, turn the same setting off again.
References:
What to do next
Right-click a file in File Explorer to confirm the unwanted items are gone. If a command you need has disappeared, go back to Settings Personalization Context menu and turn its switch back on.
Frequently asked questions
1right-click on the file?
To right-click a file, select the file and press the right mouse button. On a touchpad, tap with two fingers. The pop-up list that appears holds commands such as Copy, Rename, and Open. To do it with the keyboard, select the file and press Shift+F10.
In wondwos can I control what gets shown in the right click context menu when I click on a file?
Open Settings Personalization Context menu, then use the File actions toggles. Each switch shows or hides one command in the list you see when you right-click a file. The page needs a recent Windows 11 build. If you don't see it, install pending updates first.
Where are the context menus in settings for to do?
The context menu settings are at Settings Personalization Context menu. Use the File actions and App actions toggles to hide commands you don't use. Adjust the layout under Additional options. If the page is missing, your PC may not have received it yet.
Where do I find the context menu?
The context menu appears when you right-click a file, a folder, or an empty spot on the desktop. It lists everyday commands such as Copy, Paste, and Rename. To change what it shows, go to Settings Personalization Context menu, if your Windows 11 build includes that page.
How do you organize context menu win 11?
To organize the context menu in Windows 11, open Settings Personalization Context menu. Turn off File actions or App actions to hide entries you never use. Use Additional options to change the layout. Flip any switch back to undo the change.
How to change options menu when right clicking app on desktop 🪟 Windows 11?
To change the options shown when you right-click an app on the desktop, open Settings Personalization Context menu and adjust the App actions toggles. Turn off the entries you don't need. The page needs a recent Windows 11 build, and you can flip any switch back to undo a change.
Why is Customize menu or the Context menu page missing from my Windows 11 settings?
Asked by a reader
This Windows 11 context menu page needs a recent Windows 11 build and may not be on every PC yet, because Windows rolls out new settings in stages. Open Settings › System › About and check the OS build line under Windows specifications. Some options may exist only in Windows Insider preview builds. If the page is missing, install pending updates and check again later. To reach older commands, click Show more options at the bottom of the right-click menu.
The bottom item in my right-click menu isn't called Customize menu. What do I do?
Asked by a reader
Your PC may label this entry differently. Right-click an empty spot on the desktop and look at the very bottom of the menu for an entry about customizing, settings, or context menus. If it isn't there, click Show more options at the bottom and check the bottom of that list. You can also skip the shortcut entirely: press Windows key + I, click Personalization, then click Context menu. If that page is missing too, this feature isn't on your PC yet, so install pending updates and check again later.
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About the Author
Richard
Tech Writer, IT Professional
Richard is a writer at Geek Rewind who turns complex IT tasks into clear, step-by-step guides. He draws on years of hands-on experience in system administration and enterprise IT operations, focusing on Windows, Linux and WordPress: the problems people actually run into, and the fixes that work. His server and WordPress guides come from systems he runs himself. Richard builds and maintains the platform behind Geek Rewind, from its Ubuntu servers and Nginx configuration to its custom WordPress plugins. Many new tutorials start with readers' questions, and he's always glad to answer them in the comments.
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