Windows tip: how to get the old context menu back

The context menu in Windows 11 proper annoys me. Right-clicking on a file or folder makes icons pop up with meanings I don’t always understand. Neither is the order of icons and commands consistent. It all depends on where on your screen you open the menu. I want those classic and clear commands including «Cut», «Copy» and «Rename» back!

I’m also missing the menu items «Print» or «Send to». These are hidden in a submenu called «Show more options», which houses the classic menu. This extra click seriously slows down my workflow.

With a small workaround, you can make the context menu look like it did in Windows 10.

How to get the old menu back

1. Open the registry, press Windows key+R, type «regedit» and press Enter.
2. Navigate to the following path «HKEY_CURRENT_USER\SOFTWARE\CLASSES\CLSID»
3. Right-click on the CLSID folder and select «New» > «Key». Name the key as follows: {86ca1aa0-34aa-4e8b-a509-50c905bae2a2}

1. Right-click on the new key and choose «New» > «Key» again.
2. Name this key «InprocServer32»

1. In the right window, you’ll now see an entry named «(Default)». Under «Data» it says «Value not set» next to it. Double-click and enter the number 0. Click «OK».
2. Now double-click on the entry again and delete the number 0. Then click «OK». This is to make sure the field is really empty. No 0 or «Not set», but genuinely empty.

1. Restart your PC. The old menu is back!