Add “Open in New Window” Option in Folders and Drives Context Menu in Windows

Recently one of our readers "CytoxX" asked us how can he add an option "Open in New Window" in folders context menu, so that whenever he right-clicks on a folder, he can get the option in the list.

In this tutorial, I'll tell you how to add "Open in New Window" option in folders as well as Drives context menu.

Although you can open a folder or drive in new window by pressing "Ctrl" or "Shift" key while double-clicking on it but this trick no longer works in Windows Vista, Server 2008 and Seven.

In Windows Vista, Server 2008 and Seven, you can open a folder or drive in new window by right-clicking on it and selecting "Open" option. "Explore" option opens the folder or drive in same window but "Open" option opens them in a new window.

Now to add a separate option "Open in New Window" in folders and drives context menu, follow these simple steps:

1. Type regedit in RUN or Startmenu Search box and press Enter. It'll open Registry Editor.

2. Now go to following key:

HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Directory\shell

3. We'll need to create a new key under "Shell" key. Right-click on "Shell" key and select "New -> Key". Give the new key name of "Open in New Window" (without quotes). You can give any other name, the name you set here will be shown as the option label in context menu.

4. Now we'll need to create another new key. Right-click on the new key which we created in the last step e.g. Open in New Window and select "New -> Key". Give the new key name of command.

5. Now select "command" key and in right-side pane, you'll see "Default" String value. Change its value to:

explorer %1

6. Now go to following key:

HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Drive\shell

and follow steps 3-5 again for this key.

7. That's it. Once you set the value of "Default", you have done. Now right-click on any folder or drive and you'll get a new option "Open in New Window" which will open the selected folder or drive in a new window.

PS: If you want a ready-made script to do the task automatically, then download following ZIP file, extract it and then run the extracted REG file. It'll ask for confirmation, accept it:

Download Registry Script

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This article was posted in Windows 7, Windows Vista, Windows XP.

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13 Comments

Riza

Awesome!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
goldi

Wow good but what about take ownership?????????? which is shown here please tell
Riza

I think "Take ownership" is in Vista menu only.
liam

Thanks, it was the 2nd step missing in other peoples instructions that made it not work before.
CytoxX

WAUW!!!! you did it!! woohoooo!!! THANK YOU!!! very needed!

-CytoxX
billy

Awesome!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

i been wanting this for longgggggggggggggggg time and now i found it.........

thanks alot Vishal..............19jan09
emarell

Was happy to find this article while looking for something else. While I still don't think I'll want to add anything to the context menu, before this I hadn't found any way at all to open another [Vista] window from a link in the current.

However I found that, for my Vista machine, this sentence

In Windows Vista, Server 2008 and Seven, you can
open a folder or drive in new window by right-clicking
on it and selecting "Open" option. "Explore" option
opens the folder or drive in same window but "Open"
option opens them in a new window.

has the facts reversed. The context menu's "Open" replaces the current window's contents while "Explore" gives me the new window I had been looking for.
UltraCody

Actually, the CTRL+Double-Click trick does work in Windows 7. I have the Windows 7 RC and the CTRL+Double-Click trick works.
MAGNUMHEART

dear mr. VG.

i have a problem in my drive section explorer. "the root directory?"

when i ryt click on the window. the "view" context menu is missing

i cant get to set my drives "arrange in groups". and i cant set my view settings

from the context menu. also if i click on the View on the Toolbar it doesnt show the list of views.

even when i "browse..." the drop down list on my "view" doesnt work

i cant set my view setting also.

P.S. i have edited my context menu using Resource hacker.

setting "Arrange Icons By > View"

can u mail it to me. MAGNUMHEARTED@YAHOO.COM

thx for the help. much appreciated.
MAGNUMHEART

sorry for posting twice. i have mistaken pressing the button.