Good day ... In today's article we'll talk about how you can clear the context menu of the Explorer program in Windows.In general, the context menu of Windows Explorer is a convenient tool, but quickly overgrown with unnecessary items.
Almost every second program considers it its duty to cram its commands or sub-items into them. Of course, for some types of software, this is relevant and in demand by users.As an example - the clause added by the majority antivirus software- "Check for viruses" (the exact name differs from manufacturer to manufacturer, of course).
Why is a "clogged" context menu bad?
Difficulties arise in usability, in other words, it is more difficult to find with your eyes the desired item or command in the menu, if there are several dozen sub-items, than when there are half a dozen of them. In addition, the pop-up submenu blocks confuse even experienced users, albeit for seconds. And there is nothing to say about newcomers.
Due to the menu clogged with unnecessary trash, the system itself, or rather the explorer (Explorer.exe), begins to slow down. Such "brakes" are noticeable even on the newest and most powerful configurations, not to mention the "budget" and "office" options.
How to edit the context menu
It would seem - to uninstall unnecessary program and its associated commands will also be removed. But what if the program is needed, but its items in the context menu are not? In addition, not all programs "clean up after themselves" when uninstalled, i.e. menu items may remain when the associated program is no longer in the system.
There are two ways to solve
- Using system tools (registry editor)
- Using third party utilities
Note
- You can just press the combination Win + R and type "regedit" (without quotes)
- On Win 7 and 8, Regedit.exe should be run immediately as administrator
Important! Before further steps, you need to export the edited subsection !
This is easy to do. Right click on the subsection name - "Export".
In the window that opens, the system will "ask" what to export (a separate branch or the entire registry), in which folder to save the copy and under what name. In the future, if necessary, you can return everything "to as it was" by a simple double-click on this copy file (import it back) and restart the computer for correctness.
So. You need to find and open a branch:
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT \ * \ ShellEx \ ContextMenuHandlers
and remove unnecessary items context menu(same as in screenshot 1, only select the "Delete" command).
In addition, you should immediately look intoHKEY_CLASSES_ROOT \ * \ OpenWithList
Here are the records of programs from the sub-item of the context menu "Open with". Clearing it, as a rule, gives a very noticeable increase in the speed of the conductor. In the same way, you can clear the context menu for folders in branches from unnecessary:
- HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT \ Directory \ shell
- HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT \ Directory \ shellex \ ContextMenu Handlers
- HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT \ Folder \ shellHKEY_CLASSES_ROOT \ Folder \ shellex \ ContextMenuHandlers
And for individual file types in records of the form "HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT \.<расширение файла>". For example - "HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT \ .avi".
Advantages of this method
- No installation required unnecessary programs
- All changes are reversible
Cons of this method
- Rather time-consuming process (manually edit many parameters).
- Difficult for novice users.
- Some programs are written in the aforementioned sections not by their name, but by a "human-incomprehensible" identifier (this can be seen in screenshot 3). As a result, they must first be “identified”.
- There is a risk of "catching" the commands and points of the system itself (once again emphasis on the importance of pre-exporting backups!).
Installing a specialized utility
There are quite a few programs of this type. Good feedback there is about the program ContextEdit, but it is paid. Is there some more free CCleaner(read how to use the program) and the Context Menu Tuner program.But they do not "see" all the items of the context menu. And they have problems with "rolling back" actions in case of errors. Autoruns from Win Sysinternals requires professional knowledge, this is clearly not a level for beginners.
Against their background, a fairly reliable and simple program ShellExView from Nirsoft. You can download it by this link... Install the program, copy the ShExView_lng.ini crack into root folder programs and run.It is easy to bring the program to a form that is understandable even for beginners.
"Settings" "Filtering by extension type" "Explorer menu".
And it is easy to edit - there is a command "Deactivate", ie, an unnecessary item can be simply disabled without deleting it. In case of an error, you can turn it back on in two mouse clicks (the “Activate” command).
pros
- There is a zipped version (does not require installation)
- Does not install its tool bars in browsers, does not climb into autoload and the Internet on its own, does not offer any advertising nonsense in its interface
Minuses
- The crack ShExView_lng.ini must be copied separately to the program folder
- You need to check the availability of new versions yourself for official website
However, these two aspects can be attributed to the disadvantages rather conditionally. That's basically all I wanted to tell you about this. I think this article will be useful ...
In this tutorial, we will take a closer look at the functions in a very useful key which is available on any keyboard. This key is called the "Context Menu key". It is located in the lower right part of the keyboard between the ALT and CTRL keys.
Pressing this key brings up the CONTEXT MENU, exactly the same as if you pressed the RIGHT mouse button.
The trick of this button is that the menu called when you click will display functions (menu items) that can be applied in the current program, in the active window, on the desktop, etc. Those. this menu adjusts to the process in which you are directly working, and it is very convenient.
Now let's take a closer look at the main options for displaying the context menu in different environments and the functions that can be performed using this menu.
1. Pressing the RIGHT mouse button or the "Context Menu" key on the Desktop Windows desktop
For Windows 7
When you press the RIGHT mouse button or the "Context Menu" key on the Windows 7 desktop, the following menu appears:
1. At the very top of the menu - setting parameters Your video card.
2.View- customize the display of icons on the desktop
3. Sorting- customize sorting by displaying icons on the desktop
4. Refresh- updating the display of content on the Desktop.
5.Insert- if you copied something, you can paste it to the Desktop.
6. Create. Here you can create it on the Desktop: a folder, a shortcut, Text Document, archive, MS Office documents - Word, Excel, PowerPoint, etc. (if installed)
7. Screen resolution. Here you can set the required screen settings: select a screen (there may be several of them), find out or set the screen resolution, determine the screen orientation, and also configure other parameters for working with the screen, for example, connect a projector.
8... Gadgets- selection and installation Windows gadgets 7. Windows XP does not have this feature.
9. Personalization. Here you can configure appearance I began to work, change the background, screensaver, sounds, theme, color of windows, etc.
For Windows XP
In Windows XP, as many of course know, the context menu looks simpler, but the functions are almost the same.
When you press the RIGHT mouse button or the "Context Menu" key on the Windows XP desktop, a menu of the following type appears:
1. Using the first menu item Arrange icons we can do the following operations:
Screen resolution configurable on the tab Parameters
2. Pressing the RIGHT mouse button or the "Context Menu" key on a file or folder in Explorer or any other file manager.
When you press the RIGHT mouse button or the "Context menu" key on a file in Explorer or any other file manager, the menu also adjusts to a file of a certain type. For example, I clicked by video file... The following menu has opened:
In this case, the menu offers functions that correspond specifically to the video file: play, add to the list of the player that is selected by default for of this type file. And a number of standard functions: open with, add to archive (if the archiver is installed), send, cut, copy, delete, rename and file properties.
If you click the RIGHT mouse button or on the "Context Menu" on the graphic file , then a menu will open, which will correspond to the graphic file type:
Here you can immediately open, edit or print the selected file in the default image program. In my case, this is the ACDSee program.
Here you can immediately make the selected file background image for the Desktop, it is very convenient when choosing from a large list. And then there are again standard functions for working with files.
There are no special differences in Windows XP,
standard functions for working with a file are called by the command Change
I will dwell in more detail on the items "Open with" and "Send".
Why the "Open With" feature is useful
Here you can select or assign any installed program that understands the selected file format to work with the selected file. V in this case, I clicked on the video file and several programs can work with this format on my computer: Light Allow, WinAmp and of course Windows Media Player.
If not on the list the desired program, but you know for sure that it is installed, select the menu item "Select a program"... Windows will prompt you to select programs from a list of recommended or other programs.
In Windows XP, the appearance of this window is slightly different, but the meaning is the same:
If you want the selected file format to always be opened by the program that you select, then check the box "Use the selected program for all files of this type".
If the required program is not in the list of recommended programs, or in others, but you know for sure that the program is installed, then press the button "Overview…" and select it from the folder where the program is installed.
Why is the "Send" function useful?
Using this function, you can send (transfer, transfer) the selected file via BlueTooth (bluetooth), Skype, mail, to the Desktop, to the archive, to write to a CD / DVD disc, to a USB flash drive, so to speak. etc.
3. Pressing the RIGHT mouse button or the "Context Menu" key in any Internet browser.
And here, too, the menu adjusts to different situations, depending on where you click on the web page. For example, if you click link, then a menu of the following type will open:
Using this menu, you can open the content of the link in a new tab or in a new window, add the link to bookmarks, send the link, copy the link, if the link is a file, then you can save it using "Save Target As ...". If you have installed programs for downloading, you can download the contents of the link with their help.
If you click the RIGHT mouse button or the "Context Menu" from the picture on the web page, then a menu with other functions will open:
Here you can copy the image to the clipboard and paste, for example, into Word document, you can save the image to your computer using "Save Image As ...", send the image by mail, make the selected image a desktop background, find out information about the image (type, size, file name), etc.
Let me summarize. In this lesson, we examined the most popular options for using the context menu, which is invoked by clicking the RIGHT mouse button or pressing the "Context menu" key on the keyboard.
Namely:
1. Pressing the RIGHT mouse button or the "Context Menu" key on the Windows Desktop
2. Pressing the RIGHT mouse button or the "Context Menu" key on a file or folder in Explorer or any other file manager.
3. Pressing the RIGHT mouse button or the "Context Menu" key in any Internet browser.
The essence of this lesson is to learn how to use the useful functions of a specific active environment of your computer. In any environment, by clicking the RIGHT mouse button or clicking on the "Context Menu" button, you will receive a list useful functions available in this moment time relative to the selected object.
Explorer context menu is the menu that appears when you right-click (Right Mouse Button) on an object (file or folder) or just on an empty space in a folder or Desktop. If you have a system recently, then the context menu will be relatively empty. Unless just added from the drivers for the video card, for example:
but if the system has been installed for a long time, then there will be more such items. For example like this:
As you can see, over time, in addition to the standard menu items, more from installed programs... On the one hand, it is convenient. After all, you do not need to launch a shortcut or search for a program, but you can directly perform actions directly from the context menu. But on the other hand, over time, there are a lot of such items, and sometimes the context menu even has to be scrolled up or down in search of the necessary items.
Therefore, sometimes you want to delete these items so as not to interfere. After all, you do not often use all the points.
So how remove an item from the context menu.
In order to remove a program item from the context menu (KM for short), you can use both the standard methods of the Operating System itself, and with the help of the programs themselves or specially designed ones.
The easiest thing to remove is to look for the desired item in the settings of the program (which you want to remove). It is usually located somewhere in Integration or Upload / Add. For example, in order to remove the famous WinRAR item from the CM, you need to uncheck the box from Shell integrations:
Other programs may also have similar settings.
It's another matter when you haven't found desired settings to delete or they do not exist at all (sometimes it happens). Then you can use in a standard way the system itself, namely, editing.
I warn you right away that before starting work it would be better to play it safe and make a backup copy of the registry.
So, we start the registry and go to the branch
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT / * / shellexe / ContextMenuHandlers
and here we see these same items from the context menu.
Now we right-click on the desired item (the item from the CM that you want to delete) and select Delete:
We agree with the following warning:
reboot and check. The item should be gone.
If not missing, then check out the thread
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT \ AllFileSystemObjects \ ShellEx \ ContextMenuHandlers
and do the same.
On a note:
If you want to delete an item specifically from the CM -> Create
then you need to know the type of file () that is being created. For example for Microsoft Office Access file extension .accdb, so you need to look for it in the HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT registry key, and already there delete the ShellNew subkey
If you want to remove from the CM those items that appear when RMB on folders, then you need to look at the branches:
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT \ Directory \ shell
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT \ Directory \ shellex \ ContextMenuHandlers
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT \ Folder \ shell
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT \ Folder \ shellex \ ContextMenuHandlers
For the item "Open with ..." there is a branch
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT \ * \ OpenWithList
For KM Logical drives of the branch:
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT \ Drive \ shell
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT \ Drive \ shellex \ ContextMenuHandlers
You can also delete items using special programs... For example using ShellExView
Its principle is simple: select the desired item and click on the red circle at the top of the program. The main thing here is that A type was Context menu
Now a little about how create your own item in the context menu.
The fact is that adding such an item for folders or specific files, as well as on an "empty" place using the registry, will not work. You can only assign it to when it opens with RMB on the Desktop. Therefore, I recommend reading the article and using what is described there.
Well, or use another utility - Ultimate Windows Context Menu Customizer() which has a bunch of possibilities, but in English. And there we just need to select an item and delete it:
If anyone is interested in more details and cannot figure it out, then write in the comments and I will help. There, in the left column, you need to select the item (computer, folder, files, etc.) where the context menu is called, and to the right, select what to delete and click the button at the bottom of Remove Item. If you are friends with English, you will figure it out.
You can guess how to add your program to CM -> Create if you read the entire article carefully, namely, about deleting one of this item. You just need to create a subsection on the contrary and write for the desired extension.
In general, the article turned out to be a little chaotic and more in terms of deletion from the context menu, since I think that this is more relevant, and there is an article about adding. Therefore, if something is not clear - write in the comments. Let's figure it out.
We are already familiar with the concept of a context menu. It's time to deepen our knowledge about it and consider the topic - How to remove or add to the context windows menu teams.
The functionality of Windows allows the user to edit the context menu to his liking.
Editing the context menu (a set of "explorer" or "actions" menu commands) is possible in one of two ways:
- Through program parameters;
- Through the Windows registry;
- With the help of additionally installed applications.
Let's see how this is done:
Installed programs often themselves have (by default) the function of integration into a set of context menu (CM) commands. Then such a parameter is present in their settings on the main tabs, or maybe on such as "Integration", "Download" or "Add", etc. For example, for the WinRAR archiver, it is enough to uncheck the box in the settings:
It is clear that in this way you can both add (install) and remove (remove) a command (s) from the list. They do the same with other applications.
We work with the registry
When working with Windows Registry you need to be very careful. To be in the registry, you need to set a search in the "Start" menu by typing "regedit", and run the found executable file "regedit.exe":
Making a copy
Before editing the Registry of any version of Windows (including Windows 7), do not forget to create a backup copy for safety reasons. To do this, in the editor, on the "File" tab, select the "Export" command. Select "Entire Register" at the bottom of the dialog that opens. Assigning a name and specifying the location - "Save":
If something irreparable happens (especially for an inexperienced person), you can return the registry to its previous state by using the "File" / "Restore" command, specifying the previously created backup file.
Clearing a directory set
The registry itself looks like a tree-like block diagram (on the left), each of the branches of which has its own parameters (on the right). The "shell", "Shellex ContextMenuHandlers" and "Folder \ shell" branches of the "HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT \ Directory" directory are responsible for the folder context menu. Having examined these branches in more detail, you can make sure that the "shell" folder contains upper part the context set, and "Shellex ContextMenuHandlers" is the bottom one. The folder "Folder \ shell" - repeats the previous one.
Removal of program elements from the set is performed in each of the branches. On the right mouse, the deletion element is highlighted, the "Delete" command is called:
Now for files
The same procedure is used here, but in different branches. Since the “* / shellexContextMenuHandlers” and “* / shell” branches in the “HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT” registry key are responsible for the set of Context Menu commands for files:
The removal procedure is exactly the same. Do not forget to just delete the unnecessary in both branches.
We use third-party applications
Remove or add an item to the context menu of any Windows versions(including Windows 7) is much easier (and safer for a beginner) using additional utilities.
After installation and launch, in the program window (by the "Type" column) you can see all programs from the Windows context menu (type = Context Menu).
Unnecessary is removed by highlighting and pressing the red circle:
An interesting and useful utility with a self-explanatory name (available in a free version) Ccleaner. It has many useful properties. Website - http://ccleaner.org.ua/. In our case, it clears the registry of unused entries, paths to programs, shortcuts, etc.:
To clear the Context Menu, go to the "Service", in the "Startup" tabs, find the "Context Menu". A list of applications added to the set and their status (included: yes / no) will be displayed here:
To delete - being on a line, the command "Delete" is called with the right mouse. Since a second return (inclusion in the list) is possible only when reinstalling or reconfiguring the application, it is recommended to select the "Disable" option. - Then it will be possible to return it lego ("Enable").
Add with FileMenu Tools
It is very easy to add a new item to the context menu using the FileMenu Tools program.
It offers the user three tabs:
- Left - management of the proposed elements;
- Medium - to configure the "Send" function;
- Right - removes from the list the third party programs commands:
You need to add a new element using the "Add Command" command. To indicate its parameters, the lower right part of the window is intended - "Properties". For example, to add the line "Open in Firefox" to the menu list (opening HTM files and HTML):
In the "Menu Text" you need to enter the name, and in the "Extensions" - the options for the extensions:
In "Program Properties" the route to the executable file of the Firefox.exe application is written:
Saving the added item is done by pressing the green element at the top of the window (on the left):
This article helped you understand a variety of ways to edit the context menu. Now you know how to add and remove elements from it, not only Windows means, but also with the help of other programs.
Context Menu (Right Click Menu) - handy tool to speed up work in Windows. Today we will reveal a few simple secrets of working with the context menu and system registry... Read how to customize this important element to suit your needs without extraneous applications, using only the built-in registry editor regedit.
Why is the context menu (right-click menu) convenient and why should I clear it
I would like to immediately determine the terminology so that there will be no confusion in the future.
The Explorer context menu, or as it is sometimes called, the action menu, is a set of commands that can be invoked by clicking right(contextual) mouse buttons on any file or folder. Depending on the object for which it is called, the menu will have a different look or "context".
Note. Of course, the action menu is not only for Windows Explorer, and the majority installed applications because it is the most convenient way to access the most important commands.
Immediately after installation operating system, the context menu has a standard and neat look, but as additional software is installed, new items are constantly added to it. In the end, there are so many of them that using this useful tool turns into flour. Therefore, it is critical to be able to maintain order of the contents of the Windows context menu for quick and comfortable work.
This can be done in two ways:
- Semi-automatic using third-party software.
- Manually, using the Windows Registry Editor.
Perhaps the first method can be a little easier, but the second method does not need to use various questionable programs downloaded from the Internet, everything is done by standard means.
Moreover, the use of the registry will allow you to delve deeper into the internal processes of the system and learn a lot of new things, so we will tell you exactly about the second option.
How to edit the Explorer context menu via the registry
Launch Registry Editor:
- We enter the menu P usk.
- Enter the command in the search bar regedit and press Enter.
Important! Any careless and thoughtless operations can have dangerous consequences, up to a complete failure. Windows boot... To insure yourself against errors, be sure to back up the registry before you start editing it!
Procedure for creation backup file registry:
- We go to the menu " File"In the open editor.
- We select the item " Export».
- In the window that opens, in the lower field “ Export range", Choose" Whole register».
- We indicate the desired location and name of the new file and click " Save».
Note.In case of problems after manual editing, the registry can be restored to its original state from backup using the item " Import" on the menu " File»Editor regedit.
As you can see, the registry itself has an original tree structure. On the left side of the editor, the tree itself is displayed, and on the right, a list of parameters in the selected branch. To work with the context menu, we are interested in a single section: “ HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT».
As already mentioned, different sets of commands correspond to different objects (folders, files), so you will have to edit them separately in the registry. Our main goals: clearing the context menu of folders and common menu items for all file types.
Important! We will not change the standard system items of the context menu through the registry. Only items added by installed applications are editable.
Clearing the context menu of folders
All settings of the context menu of directories are stored in the branches:
... Directoty Shell.
... Directory Shellex ContextMenuHandlers.
... Folder Shell ex ContextMenuHandlers.
If you look closely, you can easily see familiar commands among the branches of these branches. So, the branch of the register " Directory Shell"Contains the items at the top of the menu, and" Directory Shellex ContextMenuHandlers"- bottom. " Folder ShellEx ContextMenuHandlers"Basically repeats the content of the previous branch, so remove the same items if necessary from both branches.
It remains only to remove unnecessary commands. The choice of what to remove and what to leave on the list is a personal matter for everyone. Moreover, depending on the list of installed applications, the content of the menu will differ significantly. Right-click on the unnecessary registry entry and select " Delete". Then repeat this operation for the rest of the selected items.
This is the neat appearance of the registry branches in question and the menu itself after the completion of the cleaning procedure.
Clearing the context menu of files
The procedure itself is no different from the one that was carried out in the previous section. Only the branches of the registry branch have changed " HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT", Storing the required parameters.
Now this:
... * shellexContextMenuHandlers.
They store common elements for all types of files registered in the system.
Following the example of cleaning for folders, we delete all unnecessary branches in the registry and get a nice and convenient context menu.
