Summary
- Windows 11 context menus are revamped with a simpler design and common actions shown.
- Press Shift+right-click to bring back more options; Settings lets you toggle, restore legacy items, and reorder.
- New menus are in the Experimental Windows 11 branch; expected to roll out possibly by year-end, fixing a big pain point.
One of the things I really disliked about Windows 11 was its context menus. From day one, I hated how cluttered it could get, and I also disliked how some actions were locked behind the legacy context menu. Fortunately, as part of Microsoft’s Windows K2 initiative, the context menu is getting a major revamp, and it’s already looking like a huge improvement.
They’re shaping up nicely
PhantomOfEarth showed off these context menus in a new video on their YouTube channel. If that name’s familiar, it’s because they have an X account where they post what they’ve found hidden within the latest Windows 11 builds. It’s an excellent source if you want to see what Microsoft is cooking up next.
This time, they’ve uploaded a YouTube video detailing everything they’ve noticed with the new context menus. They’re currently part of the Windows 11 Experimental branch, so they’re not available for general use just yet, but they’re definitely on the way.
The new changes include a simpler design, where all the most common actions are on display. The “Show more option” button has been hidden by default, but you can press Shift and right-click to bring it back again. And in the Settings panel, you can tweak what appears in the context menu, including enabling and disabling specific actions, restoring legacy options to the context menu, and arranging the list of actions the way you want it.
While this build is still in testing, there’s hope that Microsoft can publish it by the end of the year. Regardless, once it’s done and released, it’ll be another major pain point in Windows 11 fixed.
Related
Microsoft is reportedly fixing Windows 11’s really slow context menu, and we can customize it too
There’s a good chance the rumor is true.