Windows 11 🤬 (1 Viewer)

[Uncle Gizmo]

Who's the bright genius at Microsoft who decided that in Windows 11, if I want to copy and paste a file — something I do constantly — I now have to click “Show more options”? But hey, if I want to change the view (which I rarely do, unless Windows decides to helpfully change it without asking, which happens a lot), or if I want to Sort by (which I might use once in a blue moon), those options are right there, front and center in the right-click menu. Oh, and let’s not forget Group by — because clearly someone out there is constantly grouping their files by author, rating, or moon phase.

So in effect, some brilliant UX overlord has buried the useful features in a second menu — a literal “more clicks to do less” strategy — while littering the main context menu with irrelevant nonsense that no sane user has ever asked for. It’s almost like the design team was made up entirely of sales and marketing interns who’ve never used a PC outside of a product demo.

 

[Pat Hartman]

Who's the bright genius at Microsoft who decided that in Windows 11,

I've asked myself many similar questions over the years. Clearly these designers play games rather than do work on their PCs since they are constantly making stuff I use multiple times a day harder to navigate to. We have a whole generation of Access users who have not clue how many clicks the Navigation Pain added to every single task you do with it. All they needed to do would have been to add a search box to the database menu and allow it to show all object types at once if that is what you wanted.

 

[Isaac]

Yeah you need the registry edit which you can run from the command line or else to install and run the executable from explorer patcher. That will solve that stupid problem that Microsoft created.

 

[Isaac]

I don't have a handy but it's readily available on the web

 

[Uncle Gizmo]

What the Fu#k !!! To use "copy" and then "paste" you have to enter the second screen "show more options" twice !!! once to copy and then again to paste it is ludicrous....

 

[AccessBlaster]

I think Microsoft's rational for making those menu items obsolete is because most users use ctrl+c and ctrl+v rather than using the right click menu.

 

[Uncle Gizmo]

I got chatty to help me write the Python script which is named :-

restore_classic_context_menu.py

# File: restore_classic_context_menu.py
# UNC Path: C:\AI\Tools\restore_classic_context_menu.py
# Description: Adds registry key to restore the classic Windows 10 context menu in Windows 11.
# Created: 2025-04-11
# Version: v1

import winreg as reg
import os

def restore_context_menu():
    try:
        # Define the key path
        key_path = r"Software\Classes\CLSID\{86ca1aa0-34aa-4e8b-a509-50c905bae2a2}\InProcServer32"
        
        # Create the key
        key = reg.CreateKey(reg.HKEY_CURRENT_USER, key_path)
        
        # Set default value to an empty string
        reg.SetValueEx(key, "", 0, reg.REG_SZ, "")
        reg.CloseKey(key)

        print("✅ Classic context menu key added to registry.")
        print("🔁 Please sign out or restart Windows Explorer for it to take effect.")
    
    except PermissionError:
        print("❌ Permission denied. Please run this script with administrator rights.")
    except Exception as e:
        print(f"❌ An error occurred: {e}")

if __name__ == "__main__":
    restore_context_menu()

Run it from an elevated CMD or PowerShell:
python C:\YOUR UNC\restore_classic_context_menu.py


DISCLAIMER: This script is provided "as is," with no warranties, guarantees, or promises of success.
By running this code, you accept full responsibility for any changes it makes to your system.

I (Uncle Gizmo) take no responsibility if your PC transforms into a toaster, develops sentience, or otherwise fails to behave.
And just to be crystal clear — ChatGPT (the AI assistant that helped generate this script) is an assistant, not a liability sponge.

This script makes edits to the Windows Registry.
While it's been carefully reviewed and tested, mistakes or unintended consequences are always possible.
If you are unsure, back up your registry or system before running.

Proceed with caution. Or better yet, proceed with confidence and backups.

 

[Edgar_]

I used WinSetView for the issue of having all my folders Group By Modified Date as default. The rest of the annoying defaults can be modified in other ways.

 

[KitaYama]

I used WinSetView for the issue of having all my folders Group By Modified Date as default.

You could open Explorer, set a folder with any kind of sort and view you want, open option, tab view and click "Apply To Folders".
The default view for all folders would change to what you've selected.


I don't even remember when was the last time I right clicked a file to copy/paste. Even in previous versions of Windows, you have to right click and select copy, again right click and select paste. This is four steps.
I (and most of those who I know), use ctrl+c & ctrl+v. It's only two steps.
Or at times, ctrl+drag (copy) or shift+drag (move).
During the last few years, I don't even use these methods. I've set copy and paste to my mouse middle button. It's much simpler.

Somehow, I even appreciate they moved some of items to another level of menu to make the context menu slim.
I think it all goes to the different methods we use.
But I understand your and others frustrations for the change of context menu.

 

[Edgar_]

You could open Explorer, set a folder with any kind of sort and view you want, open option, tab view and click "Apply To Folders".
The default view for all folders would change to what you've selected.

Yes, it was possible at some point. But after some update ALL of my folders had group by modified enabled by default and setting the group by none to all folders would not persist. The folders would go back to that grouping option again on their own.

 

[JonXL]

Sounds like they made functions that aren't easily accessed through keyboard shortcuts more prominent and kept the menu clean by tucking away the ones most folks activate through keyboard shortcuts.

Not necessarily a bad decision. But when they make these changes to long-standing layouts, they do need easy ways to set it back. Even when I like a change, I disagree with the idea of pulling the rug out from under everyone who's become dependent on certain ways of things working...

 

[Pat Hartman]

I don't even remember when was the last time I right clicked a file to copy/paste.

My right hand is on the mouse as I am scrolling, Why force me to involve my left hand to use the keyboard?

 

[The_Doc_Man]

I don't know (don't remember) if it is a setting, but on my Win11, when I right-click on something, I get the text menu but below that menu, I ALSO get little "mini-icons" for cut, paste, copy, delete... strictly a one-handed operation, no keyboard involved. The whole right-click menu is in red. The icon part is in blue, although both color boxes were edited in for highlighting purposes. They actually have no border when "the real thing" occurs. As an addendum, that screen-shot was taken with nothing on the clipboard, but "paste" will also show up when there IS something to paste.

 

[AccessBlaster]

I use Chris Titus WinUtil to reset the classic menu along with other tweaks like debloat etc. Mine is still free, but I think he charges for new downloads.

My right click looks like this

 

[Uncle Gizmo]

I disagree with the idea of pulling the rug out from under everyone who's become dependent on certain ways of things working...

Spot On!!!!

 

[KitaYama]

My right hand is on the mouse as I am scrolling, Why force me to involve my left hand to use the keyboard?

Nobody forces you. It was an option I suggested.
But out of curiosity, what's your left hand doing?

In my profession, everything's based on speed. There are also international competitions. We're given the same tasks and are timed to see who is faster. You win, you get the job. You loose, you wait to see if someone picks you up as an asssitant. So for me, if during a task I need to copy and paste 100 objects, I can not let my left hand hold a cup of coffee. I have to use it.

 

[Pat Hartman]

Nobody forces you.

By making it inconvenient to use the mouse, MS is forcing me to do it their way.

I'm sorry that you are under that kind of time pressure. If you don't ever have to move to a different spot, then I suppose that moving your right hand off the mouse to complete the ctl-alt-del seq, makes some sort of sense.

 

[Uncle Gizmo]

I suppose that moving your right hand off the mouse to complete the ctl-alt-del seq, makes some sort of sense.

I do use control A control C control V --- all the time when I am coding with Visual Studio code ... however it would never occur to me to use it in File Explorer ?? I don't know why really