[AIO] Ultimate Tutorial to Customize Desktop Context Menu in Windows

NOTE: All articles mentioned in this tutorial will work in Windows Vista, Windows 7, Windows 8, Windows 8.1 and Windows 10. Some articles may work in Windows XP as well.

As you all know AskVG.com is always the first website which shares interesting tweaks and customization related stuffs. We have posted so many tutorials in past which help you in customizing Desktop context menu in Windows. Many of them allow you to add new items to Desktop context menu and some of them allow you to remove existing items which you find unnecessary.

We are proud to say that we were the first to post about adding your favorite program shortcut in Desktop context menu, adding cascading menus in Desktop context menu, adding restart Explorer option and many other exclusive tutorials.

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Today in this article, we are going to list all such tutorials in a single place for your convenience. It’ll help you in reading all these tutorials quickly and easily and will also make sure that you have not missed any of them.

So without wasting any time lets make an ultimate list of all these tutorials:

Add Program Shortcuts in Desktop Context Menu:

Following tutorials allow you to add your desired program’s shortcut in Desktop context menu. You can add your favorite browser shortcut, media player shortcut or any other shortcut to access it quickly and easily:

New_Program_Shortcut2.png

Add Favorite Website Link in Desktop Context Menu:

This tutorial helps you in adding your favorite website links in Desktop context menu. You can add AskVG.com or any other website link to open it directly in your favorite web browser:

AskVG_in_Desktop_Context_Menu.jpg

Add AskVG.com or Other Website Links in Desktop Context Menu in Windows

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Add Your Name in Desktop Context Menu:

Customization lovers can also add their name or any other desired text in Desktop context menu for fun:

Name_in_Win_7_Desktop_Context_Menu.png

How to Add Your Name in Windows 7 and Later Desktop Context Menu

Add Cascading Menus in Desktop Context Menu:

You can also add groups of shortcuts in Desktop context menu. For example, you can add a folder “Browsers” which will contain all web browsers shortcuts installed in your system. Having a group of shortcuts saves space and doesn’t make your context menu look weird.

Windows_7_System_Tools_Menu.png

Customizing “Screen Resolution”, “Gadgets” and “Personalize” Options in Desktop Context Menu:

This tutorial allows you to customize the default 3 options “Screen Resolution”, “Gadgets” and “Personalize” present in Windows 7 Desktop context menu. You can change their text, icons and positions in context menu. You can even remove them according to your requirements:

Display_at_top_personalize_at_botto.png Change_icons_of_options.png Change_Names_of_Desktop_context_men.png

Customizing “Screen Resolution”, “Gadgets” and “Personalize” Options in Windows 7 and Later Desktop Context Menu

Remove “Next Desktop Background”Option from Desktop Context Menu:

When you use Desktop SlideShow feature in Windows 7, it automatically adds a new option “Next Desktop Background” in Desktop context menu which makes the whole context menu a bit wide. If you don’t like this new option, you can remove it using following tutorial:

Next_Desktop_Background.png

How to Remove “Next Desktop Background” Option from Windows 7 and Later Desktop Context Menu?

Add “Show/Hide Hidden Files” Option in Desktop Context Menu:

This tutorial allows you to add “Show/Hide Hidden Files” option in Desktop context menu so that you can enable or disable “Show Hidden Files” option in Folder Options quickly and easily by just right-click on Desktop and select the option:

Show_Hide_Hidden_Files_Option_Context_Menu.png

Add “Show / Hide Hidden Files” Option in Desktop and Explorer Context Menu in Windows

Add “Show/Hide File Extensions” Option in Desktop Context Menu:

This tutorial allows you to add “Show/Hide File Extensions” option in Desktop context menu so that you can enable or disable “Show Known File Extensions” option in Folder Options quickly and easily by just right-click on Desktop and select the option:

Show_Hide_File_Extensions_Option_Context_Menu.png

Add “Show / Hide File Extensions” Option in Desktop and Explorer Context Menu in Windows

Add “Show/Hide Checkbox” Option in Desktop Context Menu:

This tutorial allows you to add “Show/Hide Checkbox” option in Desktop context menu so that you can enable or disable “Show Checkbox to Select Items” option in Folder Options quickly and easily by just right-click on Desktop and select the option:

Show_Hide_Checkbox_Option_Context_Menu.png

Add “Show / Hide Checkbox” Option in Desktop and Explorer Context Menu in Windows Vista and Later

Add “Kill Not Responding Tasks”Option in Desktop Context Menu:

It’ll add a new option “Kill Not Responding Tasks” in Desktop context menu which allows you to immediately kill or end tasks which are not responding:

Kill_Not_Responding_Tasks_Menu.png

How to Add “Kill Not Responding Tasks” in Desktop Context Menu in Windows Vista and Later

Add “Restart Explorer” Option in Desktop Context Menu:

Many times we need to restart Explorer to complete a software installation or some other reasons. This tutorial helps you in adding a new option “Restart Explorer” which restarts Explorer immediately as soon as you select the option:

Restart_Explorer_Option_Context_Menu.png

Add “Restart Explorer” Option in Desktop and Explorer Context Menu in Windows

Add “Restart uxsms” Option in Desktop Context Menu:

Many times we need to restart uxsms service to fix Windows Aero related problems. This tutorials adds a new option “Restart uxsms” in Desktop context menu which restarts uxsms service automatically:

Restart_Uxsms_Option_Context_Menu.png

Add “Restart uxsms” Option in Desktop and Explorer Context Menu in Windows Vista and Later

Add “Network Connections” Option in Desktop Context Menu:

This tutorial helps you in adding “Network Connections” shortcut in Desktop context menu:

Network_Connections_Desktop_Context.png

How to Add “Network Connections” Shortcut in Desktop Context Menu in Windows Vista and Later

Add “God Mode”Option in Desktop Context Menu:

“God Mode” is a secret Windows component which shows all Control Panel items in a single place. This tutorial adds a shortcut to God Mode in Desktop context menu:

God_Mode_in_Bottom_Desktop_Context_.png

How to Add “God Mode” Shortcut in Desktop Context Menu in Windows 7 and Later?

Add Change Sound, Task manager and Other Shortcuts in Desktop Context Menu:

This tutorial helps you in adding many useful system shortcuts in Desktop context menu:

System_Properties-1.png

Add “Change Sound”, “Change Cursor” and Other Shortcuts in Windows Vista and Later Desktop Context Menu

Add Change Wallpaper, Change Theme and Other Shortcuts in Desktop Context Menu:

This tutorial adds various useful shortcuts related to Desktop customization in Desktop context menu:

Change_Wallpaper.png

Add “Change Wallpaper”, “Change Theme” and Other Shortcuts in Windows Vista and Later Desktop Context Menu

Add “Aero On / Off”Shortcut in Desktop Context Menu:

This tutorial allows you to add a shortcut to quickly turn Windows Aero on or off in Desktop context menu:

Add_Aero_ON_OFF_Shortcut_Desktop_Context_Menu.png

Add Aero ON / OFF Shortcuts in Desktop and My Computer Context Menu in Windows Vista and Later

Remove Display Driver Entry from Desktop Context Menu:

When we install display driver like nVidia, Intel, etc, it adds a new entry for it in Desktop context menu. This tutorial helps you in removing that extra entry from Desktop context menu:

nVidia_Intel_Desktop_Context_Menu_E.png

How to Remove nVidia and Other Display Driver Entries from Desktop Context Menu in Windows

Customize “New”Item in Desktop Context Menu:

Following tutorials help you in customizing “New” item present in Desktop context menu:

Vista_New_Context_Menu_without_Shor.jpg

Free Software to Add Program Shortcuts in Desktop Context Menu:

Also check following 2 free utilities created by AskVG readers which allow you to add your favorite program shortcuts in Desktop context menu automatically:

That’s all for now. We’ll keep updating the list whenever we post a new tutorial to customize Desktop context menu. So stay tuned and keep visiting AskVG…

Published in: Windows 10, Windows 7, Windows 8, Windows Vista, Windows XP

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. Thanks for this, how about an option to turn off/On a second monitor if laptop or pc has an attached second monitor.

  2. I’ve just wanna know if there an hack how to get rid the collumn bar in explorer.

  3. ^^ Which column bar are you talking about? Please provide more details or may be a screenshot.

  4. Hello, Vishal. I’m impressed with your site and your useful hacks.
    I used many of them at Windows XP.
    But now I’m using Windows 8 EE 64bit and since my favorite application ShellToys not working well I need little tweak if it is possible.
    I thought if there is any possibility to make desktop context menu items “Undo Delete”, “Undo Rename”, “Undo Move”, “Undo Copy” and “Paste Shortcut” to common submenu?
    I use ShellToys to remove those menu items but this program not working (for now until developers make new update) at Windows 8 64bit.
    Because you have article where you explain this hack for Windows XP context menu so I hoped there must be hack for Windows 8 desktop context meny as well.
    I prefer smal and narrow menus and ShellToys was perfect for that.
    Sorry for my english.
    Thank You.

  5. Thank You very much for your answer, Vishal. πŸ™‚
    I tried that and now I’m looking a bit unlucky because everything I’ve done well but not working. WIth XP was much easier. πŸ˜›
    Look my snapshots.
    Script is already compiled and I deleted backup and saved Shell32. Restarted computer. What I’m missing? I took owenership and I opened file as administrator.

    i48.tinypic.com/5pn71j.png
    i45.tinypic.com/zmnqfc.png

    Wow, preview menu is looking beautiful. I would remove also Screen Resolution item because I never change resolution but first I must figure out why context menu not changed at all.

  6. OK, now I can say this worked but not for desktop context menu but for open-save dialog. I will see if there other numer (not 215) for context menu.

    i46.tinypic.com/k9tk3t.png

  7. Hi is it going to be possible to right-click a image and be able to set that image as a new lock screen in Windows 8 RTM
    In Windows 7 i have it so i can right click any image to set that as my new logon screen but i know the new Windows 8 lock screen different but do you think it will work or not, Thanks for your time VG.

  8. hello VG,

    can you help me in renaming the “refresh” option in context menu?

    thank you and more power!

  9. I would like to add “insert comment” to the context menu, to quickly identify files. The context menu command in Excel in great. Do you know of a program or registry hack to do this.
    I have tried the program “Hobcomment explorer extension, but it does not work with windows 8/64 bit systems.

    Really appreciate the website, its a great help.

  10. Great site VG….I have used it to sharpen my customizing skills and (at 63) it is what keeps me interested in spending time on my laptops. Anyway, when adding items to the desktop context menu, is there a way to have that item ONLY appear when a key is pressed with the right click..like the “open command window here” does when shift is used. That would be very useful to keep the context menu to a minimum until more stuff is needed.
    Thanks

    Keep up the great work!!

  11. Hi VG…just asked a question about context menu in previous post…I just found the answer. An additional string value named “Extended” will do it. Thanks anyway.

  12. VG, I’m an English teacher in a high school in Ohio (USA), and I’m trying to increase the speed in which I grade student essays online through Googledocs. I’m wondering if any of the above tutorials will enable me to add a function to the context menu that will allow me to quickly insert a comment/correction to a student’s essay. I’m thinking that I could greatly speed up the grading process if I could simply right click, then choose a comment/correction from a drop down box in the context menu, that would then paste directly into the essay at the cursor. Maybe some kind of modification to the Paste menu or clipboard.
    Thanks!

  13. Hi VG,
    Is there a way to split off delete so it is in a panel like Send to?
    Quite often select delete when I want rename. Has always annoyed me.
    Great site, I keep on returning to it

  14. If you add & before any alphabet of the MUIVerb value, you’ll make a keyboard shortcut to that option
    For example:
    “MUIVerb”=”Power &Menu”

    Would show up as Power Menu (M would be underlined which means that if you press M on your keyboard, that option would be triggered).

    P.S. Restart/SignOut is required for the changes to be visible in the context menu.

  15. In Microsoft Access, I built a database, but I do not want the user(s) to be able to click on “Design View” when using the drop down menu when right clicking, how do I remove that?

  16. I want to change the Send To/Mail Recipient action to point to Gmail rather than the previously used Exchange account.
    Any thoughts?

  17. i miss the image in context menu. byblos.dll , i think it was. sadly it never crossed over to 64 bit windows. one of the things that made me stick to 32 bit windows as long as i did

  18. Is it possible to make the items , you are mouse-pointing to , in the context menus , more ( darker) blue/grey ? They are very light-grey in Win10 and almost invisible in Win11 , when pointing at them ! Its almost a reason to roll-back to 10.

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