How to Add Program Shortcuts and Other Useful Shortcuts with Icons in Windows 7 Desktop Context Menu?

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NOTE: This tutorial has been featured by Microsoft. AskVG.com was the first website posting this unique trick.

Today we'll learn how to add any desired program shortcut in Desktop context menu. Also we'll learn to add other useful shortcuts like "Change Wallpaper", "Screensaver", etc.

We have posted a few similar tutorials long time back:

Above tutorials do the same job but there is some difference between these old methods and the new one which we'll discuss today.

In old method, we can't define program icon and the option position in context menu but this new method will allow you to set an icon for the shortcut as well as define its position like on top or bottom.

So here we start the tutorial:

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

2. Now go to:

HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\DesktopBackground\Shell

3. Now we'll need to create a new key under "Shell" key. Right-click on "Shell" key and select "New -> Key". Give the new key any desired name e.g. "Registry Editor" (without quotes).

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. Registry Editor 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. Double-click on it and set its value to the path of desired program's EXE file. For example, if you want to add "Registry Editor" shortcut, then set value of "Default" to regedit.exe

Adding_Program_Key.png

6. Now the new shortcut will start appearing in Desktop Context Menu.

New_Program_Shortcut.png

7. Now some advanced options!

You can now define the shortcut icon and position.

To set an icon for the shortcut, select the key created in Step 3 and in right-side pane, create a new String value "Icon". Set its value to your desired icon or simply put the path of program's EXE file and it'll automatically show its default icon.

To set its position in the context menu, create a new String value "Position" and set its value to:

Top (To show it at top)
Bottom (To show it at bottom)

Adding_Program_Key2.png

That's it. Now you'll see an icon near the program shortcut and its new position.

New_Program_Shortcut2.png

8. If you want a ready-made registry script to do the task automatically, then copy paste following code in Notepad and save the file with name "AskVG.REG" (including quotes).

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\DesktopBackground\Shell\regedit]
@="Registry Editor"
"Icon"="regedit.exe"
"Position"="Bottom"

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\DesktopBackground\Shell\regedit\command]
@="regedit.exe"

Run the file and it'll add the program shortcut in Desktop context menu.

If you want to add other program shortcut, then simply change the BOLD part in the script.

NOTE: You can use this method to add any desired program shortcut or to add various useful shortcuts in Desktop context menu. You just need to simply change the Key name and the value of "command" key to the correct path.

Change_Wallpaper.png Change_Screensaver.png System_Properties-1.png

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