Windows 11's Context Menu: A Usability Downgrade? (And My Workaround)

I still remember the first time I right-clicked something in Windows XP. I had no idea what a “context menu” was back then—I just knew that right-clicking felt like unlocking a hidden cheat code for my PC. Fast forward through Vista, 7, 8 (ugh), and 10, and I’ve gotten pretty comfortable with how Windows handles everyday tasks.

But then Windows 11 came along. And… yeah. This new right-click menu? Not a fan.

Microsoft decided, in its infinite wisdom, to hide most of the right-click options behind a “Show more options” button. Now, I sort of get the logic.

Performance – Maybe a slimmer menu loads faster? (I never had an issue before, but okay.)
Simplification – Casual users probably don’t need 90% of those options anyway.

But for people like me—who right-click constantly throughout the day(mostly nervously refreshing.. :D)—this extra step feels like someone moved my coffee mug an inch to the left every time I reach for it. Small change, big annoyance.

And here’s the kicker: the full menu is still there. Microsoft just buried it under an extra step, like some kind of twisted usability prank.

The Shift+Right-Click Shortcut (A Band-Aid Fix) Link to heading

There is a workaround—if you hold Shift and Right-Click, it brings up the old-school full menu instantly. I found this out after an embarrassing amount of frustration, clicking “Show more options” like some kind of NPC stuck in a loop.

Does it work? Yeah.

Does it feel like an unnecessary extra step? Also yeah.

It’s like adding a secret handshake to open your own fridge. Why?

After realizing I was one click away from losing my mind, I did some digging. Turns out, you can restore the old menu permanently with a quick registry edit.

Quick warning: Messing with the registry is like doing surgery on your OS—screw it up, and things can go sideways fast. Back up your registry before you try this.

Here’s how to fix it Link to heading

Open Command Prompt
- Hit Win + R (or use windows search, if you prefer it), type cmd, and press Enter.

Paste this command and hit Enter:

reg add HKCU\Software\Classes\CLSID\{86ca1aa0-34aa-4e8b-a509-50c905bae2a2}\InprocServer32 /ve /d "" /f

Restart Explorer (or Just Reboot Your PC)
- Press Ctrl + Shift + Esc to open Task Manager.
- Find Windows Explorer, right-click it, and choose Restart.

And just like that—Boom! The classic context menu is back.

If it did’nt work, it’s likely you are not logged in with Admin permissions. If that is the case, contact your administrator to do this for you, or stick with using Shift+ Right-Click.

Undoing the Change (If You Ever Want To) Link to heading

If for some reason, you start missing the “Show more options” button (hey, you do you), here’s how to undo the tweak:

reg delete HKCU\SOFTWARE\Classes\CLSID\{86ca1aa0-34aa-4e8b-a509-50c905bae2a2} /f

Restart Explorer again (or your PC), and it’ll go back to the Windows 11 default.

Final Thoughts: Microsoft, Just Give Us the Option (a toggle at least) Link to heading

Honestly, this never needed to be an issue in the first place. The new context menu isn’t bad—it just should’ve been optional. Let users choose between the new style and the classic menu. Problem solved.

But knowing Microsoft? Yeah… I won’t hold my breath.

Windows 11's Context Menu: A Usability Downgrade? (And My Workaround)