Add Your Favorite Program Shortcut in Desktop Context Menu in Windows

UPDATE: Windows 7 and later OS users visit this tutorial.

Here is a tutorial to add any desired program shortcut in Desktop context menu (right-click menu) of Windows Vista and Windows 7 as shown in following screenshot:

Program_Shortcut_Vista_7_Desktop_Context_Menu.png

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It helps in accessing favorite programs quickly and easily. You just need to right-click on Desktop and click on the desired program shortcut to launch it.

Follow these simple steps to add any program shortcut in Desktop context menu:

1. Type regedit in RUN or Start Menu search box and press Enter. Now go to:

HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Directory\Background\shell

Under this key, create another key with any name and in right-side pane set its value to the label, which you want to show in desktop context menu, like Media Player, Winamp, Firefox, anything else.

2. Now create another key under this newly created key with name command and in right-side pane set its value to the exact path of application, like:

C:\Program Files\Windows Media Player\wmplayer.exe
C:\Program Files\Winamp\winamp.exe
etc…

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3. That’s it. Now you can check your favorite application shortcut in desktop context menu.

4. You can create as many shortcut as you want. Simply create a separate key for all the applications.

5. Following is a ready-made code:

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Directory\Background\shell\WMP]
@="Windows Media Player"

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Directory\Background\shell\WMP\command]
@="C:\\Program Files\\Windows Media Player\\wmplayer.exe"

Just change the label and path to your desired application and save with the name “vishal.reg” (including the quotes) and run it.

You can also set the application shortcut to show only when you press <SHIFT> key by adding “Extended” String value in right-side pane of the newly created key:

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Directory\Background\shell\WMP]
@="Windows Media Player"
"Extended"=""

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Directory\Background\shell\WMP\command]
@="C:\\Program Files\\Windows Media Player\\wmplayer.exe"

Now that’s another benefit to use Windows Vista or Windows 7. We have checked this method in Windows XP and it doesn’t work there.

PS: Windows XP users can visit following tutorial:

Add Your Favorite Program Shortcut in Desktop Context Menu in Windows XP

NOTE: Also check out our exclusive tools to add useful shortcuts in Desktop context menu quickly and easily:

Right Click Context Menu Adder: Freeware to Add Useful Shortcuts in Desktop Context Menu

DeskIntegrator: Portable Utility to Add Program Shortcuts in Desktop Context Menu

Published in: Windows 7, Windows Vista

About the author: Vishal Gupta (also known as VG) has been awarded with Microsoft MVP (Most Valuable Professional) award. He holds Masters degree in Computer Applications (MCA). He has written several tech articles for popular newspapers and magazines and has also appeared in tech shows on various TV channels.

Comments

NOTE: Older comments have been removed to reduce database overhead.

  1. hello there, Can this move this into a Folder?

    for example,

    Applications>CCleaner

    When right Click on Desktop, the Context Menu shows Applications with a > arrow, Inside Applications link to CCleaner.

    is this Possible ?

  2. How do add Firefox Private window to the Desktop context menu? I found articles that say how to add Chrome Incognito but stuck with Firefox Private window.

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