How to Restore the Classic Right-Click Context Menu in Windows 11

Windows 11 introduced a sleek, minimalist right-click context menu, but it came with a catch: many of our favorite commands are hidden behind the “Show more options” click.

If you’re tired of that extra click slowing down your workflow, you can actually revert to the classic Windows 10-style menu using a simple Registry command. Here is exactly how to do it.

Why Change It?

The new Windows 11 menu looks great, but for power users who frequently use third-party tools (like 7-Zip, Notepad++, or specialized file converters), the extra layer is a constant bottleneck. By running a quick command, you can bring back the full menu by default.

Option 1: Disable “Show More Options” (Restore Classic Menu)

To bring back the classic right-click menu, follow these steps:

  1. Open the Start Menu, search for Command Prompt, and run it as Administrator.
  2. Copy and paste the following command: 
    3. reg add "HKCU\Software\Classes\CLSID\{86ca1aa0-34aa-4e8b-a509-50c905bae2a2}\InprocServer32" /f /ve
  3. Press Enter.
  4. Restart your computer (or restart Windows Explorer in Task Manager) for the changes to take effect.

Option 2: Re-enable the Windows 11 Default Menu

If you decide you prefer the new look or want to revert to the factory settings, use this command:

  1. Open Command Prompt as Administrator.
  2. Copy and paste the following command: 
    3. reg delete "HKCU\Software\Classes\CLSID\{86ca1aa0-34aa-4e8b-a509-50c905bae2a2}" /f
  3. Press Enter and restart your PC.
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