Access and Customize Windows 7's Extended Context Menu

With Windows 7 pushed out to the masses, it's only a matter of time before the Web is flooded with all sorts of nifty tips and tricks as the inquisitive and tech savvy have their way with Microsoft's latest operating arrangement. To get the ball rolling, we're going to evidence you how to admission Windows 7's extended context card, as well every bit how to edit, add, and remove items from it.

The context menu is nothing else but the options you get when right clicking on a file or binder. In Windows 7, some less pop options are left out and placed on the extended context menu, which is accessible by property downwards shift when you correct click on an item (shift + right-click).

This applies to just virtually everything, from files and folders to the desktop, and allows for quick access to specialized operations, such as opening a file as read-only, executing something as another user, or opening a control prompt at a specific location.

It besides allows you to rapidly reach things like an undo move, which is useful if yous're unfamiliar with the countless Windows shortcuts (Ctrl+Z is undo, past the mode), or directly copy a drive path. The extended "Send to" menu (meet screenshot below) comes in handy if you find yourself moving things using this shortcut ofttimes.

And while the pre-divers extended menu items may exist helpful, they are yet limited to what comes by default. ShellMenuView is a very lightweight utility (~80KB and doesn't require installation) that is uniform with everything from Windows 98 to Windows 7 x64. You lot can download the utility here (32-bit | 64-bit).

Once you open the plan, you'll immediately be faced with dozens of entries that you can enable or disable -- both in the standard and extended context menu.

Through ShellMenuView you tin become rid of all of the annoying programme-specific clutter that has accumulated in your context menu (recall: anti-malware software, all-in-1 utilities, text editors and role applications, image mounting tools etcetera). Don't get me wrong, some of these entries are time-saving, but others are flat out abrasive, and are normally are placed without your consent.

ShellMenuView'south interface and feature-fix is pretty straightforward. Roll through the listing of entries to detect the offender, right click on it and choose "Disable Selected Items". Likewise, y'all can enable or even set other items to announced (or non) in the extended context bill of fare with the same movement. ShellMenuView too gives you quick admission to the registry entries of context menu listings.

In our tests using ShellMenuView we were able to dispense context menu entries for nearly of our programs: VLC, Windows Media Role player, Imgburn, OneNote, TVersity, and some of Windows own shortcuts. We had a few problems removing a stubborn entry for MagicISO, just using another program called ShellExView (from the same developer), we were able to get rid of the abrasive extra shortcuts.

Merely obviously that's just the tip of the iceberg. Feel free to share your custom context menu or whatever other Windows 7 tips in the comments.

Did y'all know?

You can also easily edit Firefox'south right-click menu with Menu Editor and spare yourself of unwanted items like "Send Link" or "Copy E-mail Address" every time yous right click inside your browser screen. Isn't that great?