Many people like the Windows operating system, and many of us grew up on it. But some fickle PC users - or those who just recently switched to Windows - are often confused about finding some simple things that control Microsoft’s operating system. One of these elements of the graphic element is called the "Windows context menu", or the "right-click menu".
Today we will tell you not only about this integral element of interaction with Windows, but also about a third-party application that allows you to add custom elements to the context menu.
So what exactly is the Windows context menu?
In simple words, this is a pop-up menu that appears when you right-click in any navigation area of \u200b\u200bthe screen (hence the name "right-click menu"). The context menu can be accessed in folders, on the taskbar, in web browsers and other areas of the graphical interface. The context menu is not an exclusive feature of Windows, so you could see it on other operating systems, including Mac OS X or Linux.
Speaking about the appearance of the Windows context menu, then everywhere it looks almost the same - only the elements inside it differ. For example, the screenshot below shows the context menu that opens when you right-click on the desktop, for example, to configure the background image of the desktop in the "Personalization" window.
Usually, the context menu contains such elements as “View”, “Sort”, “Copy”, “Paste”, “Rename”, “Properties”, etc. Some of the menu items are context based. In other words, in one of the areas of the operating system, the context menu may contain some items, and in another - already others. For example, the menu that pops up when you right-click on the taskbar will contain completely different items compared to the menu that you see in the screenshot below.
Here is another simple example of a context menu that appears when you right-click on a folder:
Now that you have learned what the context menu is in Windows and how it works, let's look at a convenient and free application with which you can easily customize the menu.
A portable application that allows you to add custom elements to the "right-click menu" in Windows 7, Windows 8 and Windows 8.1, was developed by Sergey Tkachenko (WinAero) - a well-known developer who is the author of many useful tools, including. The application is very convenient in the sense that the whole process of adding items to the context menu requires a few clicks from the user.
Launch the app to get started. The Context Menu Tuner interface consists of two different panels - the left one contains a list of supported commands, and the right one consists of areas of Windows Explorer. To add a command, you need to select one of them in the left pane, and then, after choosing your preferred item in the right pane, click on the "Add" button. For deleting added commands, as you might guess, the “Delete” button is responsible.
Additional application features allow you to add separators before and after certain menu items. In addition, there are a couple of additional options.
Another interesting feature of the application is its ability to add custom commands for certain file types. Opening the “Choose file type” window, which can be accessed by clicking on the “Add -\u003e Add to the specified file type” button in the main application window, you will see an impressive number of supported file extensions. The list is very long, therefore, to quickly find a specific file type, use the search bar.
The screenshot below shows my context menu, which I changed using the Context Menu Tuner:
That's all. Now you know what the context menu of Windows is, and you know a simple solution to edit it.
Have a great day!
The concept of a context menu is faced by absolutely all computer users, regardless of the type of operating system used or its developer. Such an element is available in all known OSs today. But let's see what the Windows context menu is, what types it is and how to handle it. We take Windows as a basis only for the simple reason that most users in the post-Soviet space work with these OSs. And for a start, a few words about the term itself.
What is a context menu in the general sense?
Actually, the name of the menu itself comes from the English context. As for the simplified understanding, the context menu of Windows 10 or any other operating system can be interpreted as some additional element of the graphical interface of the system, in which there are certain commands for quick access to some basic or additional functions.
So to speak, in the context of selecting an object for which an additional menu is used, different commands will be available (this will be considered separately).
Menu views
Actually, in the operating system itself there are several types of main and additional menus. For example, the main menu is accessible by pressing the "Start" button. Installed programs usually have their own element in the form of a top panel on which sections of basic operations are displayed, etc. Naturally, all such menus differ in appearance and purpose. But it’s the context menu that is universal in its way, and in a sense even connects applications with the operating system without the use of additional tools. Forgot how to perform some action? Nothing wrong! This menu will tell you what and how to do it, especially since many menus of this type can also open additional lists.
Context Menu Items
As already mentioned, for different objects the contents of the menu can differ quite a lot. It all depends on the type of object selected and the actions that are supposed to be performed. Everyone knows that in the "Explorer" through this menu, when you select a file or folder, you can specify copying, moving, deleting, opening, and many more operations, except for the use of hot keys or their combinations.
On the "Desktop" when you click on a blank area of \u200b\u200bthe screen, you can quickly call up the screen settings or create shortcuts. But in order to carry out such actions, following the standard methodology, it will take much more time. In general, it is believed that the context menu is a unique invention. Despite the fact that almost all of the items it contains are duplicated by the operating system itself and some installed programs, its use often reduces the time it takes to access certain actions and functions.
Differences between menus for different objects
Now we will consider the most important question regarding the difference between menus of this type when choosing a specific object. It goes without saying that it will not work to describe all types, so we will dwell on the most basic ones.
Files and folders were sorted out a bit. It can be added that antiviruses, archivers and some other programs integrate their own commands into such menus, therefore, in addition to a set of standard actions, you can use their additional features.
If you use the menu for a disk or partition, you can already access the system tools here. Programs have their own elements of this type, however, the context menu for almost all active applications, if the upper left corner of the program window on the header is used as the selected object, the items are the same: closing, moving, minimizing and maximizing the active window, resizing, etc. It is clear that the content of each context menu for applications depends on the specific use of the program. So, in web browsers, among the items there are commands related specifically to actions with tabs or settings.
When using the menu for panels, it becomes possible to configure them, go to additional options, add or remove elements, etc. As already mentioned, it is impossible to describe the contents of all types of opened menus simply physically, so let's move on.
How to open an additional menu: a few basic ways
Now a few words about how to call or open the context menu. Everyone knows that in Windows PCM is used for this (clicking on this action is set in the default settings, although some use reassignment of buttons, after which the control is called up with the left button. In general, the context menu of the mouse, depending on the type used You can configure the manipulator as you like. For example, for the same gaming mice, which have a lot of additional buttons, usually accompanying software is installed, which allows you to control all of their parameters and and customize the buttons on the specific action in the particular, and to call further menus.
Few people know that in Windows you can use not only RMBs. For example, for laptops, it is very important to use the combination Shift + F10. Also, the right button on the touchpad is designed for this. On some non-standard keyboards for stationary computer terminals, you can find a special Menu key, which is usually located to the right of the Win button.
How to add additional items to the menu?
Finally, let's see how to add additional items or commands to the context menu. You can, of course, use Windows tools, but for this you have to delve into the registry, and this is very inconvenient.
The easiest way is to use the small Context Menu Tuner program, the interface of which consists of only two panels with sets of commands and Windows Explorer areas.
Only two buttons are provided for adding or removing elements, so there should not be any difficulties with using them.
Practical Benefits of Using
As for the pluses, a lot has already been said about them. This applies not only to the fact that the correctness of the invocation of certain actions can simply be forgotten. The universality of such menus consists precisely in speeding up access to some standard and non-standard functions or actions, the call of which according to the usual scheme would take much more time. And so - RMB and all the necessary commands at hand!
Instead of a total
Hopefully, after reading the above material, many figured out what constitutes this element of the operating system. As for its use, there shouldn’t be any questions at all, since in some situations one simply cannot do without it. And practice shows that one hundred percent of users out of a hundred context menus always use, regardless of the actions performed.
Secrets of Productive Work on a Computer
Windows context menu
The menu is the most important element of the graphical user interface with which you can select the desired program option.
Types of menus in the computer:
on execution - text and graphic
by functions - the main application menu, pop-up, context menu and system menu
What is the context menu how to call it
The context menu is a separate type of menu on the computer; list of available commands for working with this file.
Where is the context menu located?
Its storage location is the Windows registry, which consists of two sections. One part of the programs is stored in the HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT \\ * \\ shell section, the other in the HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT \\ * \\ shellex \\ ContextMenuHandlers section.
How does the context menu open?
There are different ways to call the context menu.
At the bottom of the keyboard, between the "ALT" key and the "CTRL" key, there is a special button. It shows the additional functions and actions available with respect to this file. It usually has a sign and a mouse pointer. This button also brings up the context menu.
It is used if it is necessary to highlight the shortcuts of the necessary files, as well as inside existing programs. When you click on this button, the context menu is called up in accordance with the current situation.
Right mouse button on keyboard also successfully replaced by this button.
This method is for those who prefer to use the keyboard, while you can open the context menu with the mouse.
Pointing the mouse at the desired file, select it by clicking the left button. Right-clicking on the selected area will open the context menu. When selecting several items, the context menu displays the actions available for the selected group of files.
How to open the context menu when working on a laptop or netbook? On these devices, the mouse function is transferred to the built-in touchpad. The context menu is called by right-clicking on the selected area.
How to configure the right-click context menu
For the right mouse button, the simple program Context Menu Tuner helps to configure the context menu. She will tell you how to configure the context menu of Windows 7.
Consider how to configure the right mouse button.
Download and run the program
The program interface is made up of two different panels: the left one contains a list of commands supported by the program, the right one includes areas of OS conductors. We set the Russian language in the settings
Add a team. To do this, select it on the left side and "connect" with the preferred element on the right. Click "Add."
Other commands are added in the same way.
To delete a command, select it and click "Delete"
The right-click context menu is now configured.
You will need a small utility Right Click Enhancer. It offers an impressive list of commands that can be added to the context menu of any version of Windows, starting with Vista.
After starting Right Click Enhancer (if you are confused by the English interface, click Language → Russian to switch to Russian) you will see a set of tools, each of which makes its own changes to the context menu. Consider the most interesting of them.
Right Click Tweaker
Using the Right Click Tweaker tool, you can add almost two dozen useful commands to the context menu. Here are some of the most noteworthy.
- Copy To opens a window for selecting a folder into which the current object can be copied.
- "Move to" acts like the previous command, just does not copy, but moves the object.
- Copy to Path saves the path to the current object to the clipboard. This option can save time if you need, for example, to upload an image to some website or graphic editor. You simply insert the path to the file, instead of specifying it manually.
- "New folder" creates a folder immediately from the context menu, while the standard Windows method requires first to go to the "Create" submenu, and then select "Folder".
- "Control Panel" opens the corresponding section with the system settings.
To add a command to the context menu, just mark it with a daw.
Unfortunately, some Right Click Tweaker options do not work correctly with Cyrillic characters yet. Therefore, commands like Copy Content, which saves the contents of text files to a buffer, are best used only with English-language texts.
New menu editor
In the context menu there is an item "Create". By default, it can be used to quickly create several types of objects: a text document, a folder, a shortcut, and others.
You can significantly expand this list with objects of other formats thanks to the New Menu Editor. It is enough to run this tool and mark the necessary file types with a daw. To exclude objects that you do not plan to create from the list, mark them with a cross - they will disappear from the "Create" submenu.
Send to manager
If you right-click on a folder or file, the "Send" item will be displayed in the context menu. It contains a small list of folders and programs into which you can export the selected object for storage or playback.
The Send To Manager tool allows you to expand this list. To add a new directory to the context menu where you will send objects, start Send To Manager and click "Add Folder". If you want to add a program, click "Add File" and select its icon.
All folders and programs added in this way will appear in the “Submit” submenu.
Right Click Enhancer Professional
This tool is available only in the paid version of the program. Having paid $ 10, you can add shortcuts to the context menu for quick access to programs, files and folders, as well as create and configure submenus. All other functions listed in the article are available for free.