How to Add or Remove Items from “New” Context Menu in Windows

In Windows, whenever we right-click on Desktop or in Windows Explorer, we get “New” menu which allows us to create new folder, new shortcut and new files using various known file types. It helps us in creating new files, folders and shortcuts easily and quickly.

New_Shortcut.png

Sometimes you may want to remove a few unwanted items from “New” menu to reduce its size or to restrict others from creating new files or shortcuts or you may want to add a few new items to “New” menu such as new file types, etc.

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So today in this tutorial, we’ll tell you how to customize or modify the “New” menu in Windows to add or remove items from it. This method will work in all Windows versions:

METHOD A: To Add an Item in “New” Menu

1. Type regedit in RUN dialog box and press Enter. It’ll open Registry Editor. Now expand “HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT” key.

2. Now look for a sub-key having same name as the file type which you want to add in “New” menu. For example, if you want to add XML file type to “New” menu, look for .xml key under HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT key.

3. Now right-click on it and select “New -> Key” option. It’ll create a new key, give it name ShellNew

4. In right-side pane, right-click and select “New -> String Value“. Give it name NullFile and press Enter.

Add_Item_New_Menu_Windows.png

That’s it. You’ll immediately get the file type entry in “New” menu.

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NOTE: Sometimes this method might not work for a few file types in newer Windows versions. In such condition, you’ll also need to create a dummy template file after following the above steps as mentioned in following steps:

5. Create a new file of same file type which you want to add in “New” menu (in our example we wanted to add XML file type to “New” menu, so we’ll create a new .xml file), give it any name and copy it to C:\Windows\ShellNew folder.

Copy_File_Template_ShellNew_Folder.png

6. Now in Registry Editor, create another String with the name FileName in same key where you created NullFile string in Step 4 and set FileName string value to the full path of the file pasted in “C:\Windows\ShellNew” folder.

Add_Template_Item_New_Menu_Windows.png

Since in our example, the full path of Template.xml file is C:\Windows\ShellNew\Template.xml, We have set the same as value of FileName string in Registry.

Now the new file type will appear in “New” menu as shown in following screenshot:

Item_Added_New_Menu_Windows.png

METHOD B: To Remove an Item from “New” Menu

1. Type regedit in RUN dialog box and press Enter. Now expand “HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT” key.

2. Now look for the file type which you want to remove from “New” menu, e.g. for removing “Rich Text Document (.rtf)” file type look for .rtf key under HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT key.

3. Expand it and delete the ShellNew key present under it.

Remove_Item_New_Menu_Windows.png

4. That’s it. The file type will be removed from “New” menu.

Feel free to ask any question or post your feedback in your comment…

Also Check:

How to Restore Missing “New” or “New Folder” Option in Windows Context Menu?

How to Enable / Disable “New -> Shortcut” Item in Windows Context Menu?

Published in: Troubleshooting Guides, 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. Actually, is there a maximum limit on how many items can appear in the New menu? I tried using the program Right Click Enhancer and tried removing and enabling the .rtf file (it said it was already enabled initially). Still did not work. I removed something else in that list that I didn’t want, and the .rtf file type appeared! It’s as if the menu was maxed out and what I wanted only showed up after I removed something else. Weird…

  2. This works well on Windows 8.1 and does not need a reboot. A quick comment about entries in the New context-menu is that you may not see the file type eg “OpenDocument Text”. Simply create a file of this type, note the extension, delete the newly created file and follow the rest of the procedure. Thanks for the tip!

  3. Thanks a lot mate, it worked like a charm! I had to create a template file (I’m using Windows 10) but I actually wanted to have one instead of a blank file, so no problem there. Thanks again!

  4. Thank you. I had a bunch of 3d type files and others no one wants to type from scratch clogging up my “new” context menu. (iges, stl, md2, obj, trc, x, and so on) anyone who can type those files from scratch must be a god or extremely bored wanting to do things the loooong way….

  5. SOLUTION!!

    Guys, i found the best solution for dummies! Just go to Add or remove programs, find Microsoft Office 20XX and then click change and quick repair! It works like a charm!!!!!!

  6. Thanks a lot for the assistance. It was of immense help. It is so well appreciated when all the aspects and probabilities are well judged and brought forward to the user. Thanks a lot again…
    Keep the good work going!!!

  7. Thanks a bunch, Vishal!

    It worked like a charm. Pls. note that I only had to all the steps up to #5 and it worked – I didn’t have to do step 6 at all.

  8. If you’re having problems even after using the template file, try entering just the file name instead of the full path for the value of ‘FileName’ in the registry.

    For example, use “Template.xml” instead of “C:\Windows\ShellNew\Template.xml”

    Worked for me. I’m running regedit version 6.1 on Windows 7.

  9. How do you change the name from: “New HTML Document.html” to index.html?

    I know I can change it manually after creating the new doc but can this default name be changed?

    I have created a file called index.html and placed it in the correct folder so it is working but I want the name index.html to appear instead of “New HTML Document.html”

  10. Using Win 10 Pro. None of the above worked.

    From the comments here, “Lars Maribo” had the fix for me.

    I had installed “WinTools” alternative to MS Notepad, called “Black NotePad”, and then, I could not right-click to create a new Notepad++ Text file in File Explorer.

    All I had to do was to change:

    HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\.txt\(Default) . . . Black NotePad

    to:

    HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\.txt\(Default) . . . txtfile

    A restart was required

    Thank you Mr. Maribo!

  11. I was having a problem where “New Word File” would not appear under the “New tap”. I tried everything as described in the main article but to no avail. Then i stumbled upon Catchamouse’s comment, which helped me reach a solution. One thing that one need to be aware of when using the method he/she describes is, however, that you also need to change the value of the “Default string” in the ShellNew folder to match the file name (In my case with Word 2016, that meant changing the value to “Word.Document.12”).

    Hope this helps other facing similar problems.

  12. Thanks Laris Maribo. You are a savior. Tried many things over the internet but you were the only one.

  13. In Windows 7, when I installed Excel, Powerpoint, and Word, it appeared to automatically add those application file types to the NEW menu. I’ve inherited a laptop with Windows 10, and even though all the Office programs are installed, none appear in the NEW menus of any folder. This seems like a basic feature, at least for the Microsoft applications! Editing the Registry is NOT how this should happen, and very dangerous!!!

  14. Thank you so much Lars Maribo !

    It works ! Truly amazing and helpful solution !!

  15. Awesome! Thank you. Works perfect in Windows 10. Modified the procedure to work for creating new/template HTML file (worked with regedit>HEKY_CLASSES_ROOT>.html).

  16. In my case a mix of the original solution and the one proposed by Catchmouse was required:
    1) Changed extension default property to it’s subfolder’s name “Excel.Sheet.12”
    2) Changed default property of the “Excel.Sheet.12” subfolder to “Excel.Sheet.12” also
    3) The ShellNew folder WAS already inside “Excel.Sheet.12” and contained FileName property (in one case it worked with just the file name inside, but in other a full bath “C:\Windows\ShellNew\…” was required)
    4) Created a new string property NullFile in the ShellNew folder

  17. The method did not work for me but luckily the method given by Catchamouse in his comment worked (for Excel 2010 in Windows 10) :
    – Go to HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT, search for .xlsx (or .docx), click on the extension
    – right-click on “default” in the right pane, set the value to the name of the subfolder which is under the extension folder (Excel.Sheet.12 or Word.Document.12)
    – and also change in the same way the value of “default” in the folder “Excel.Sheet.12” “Word.Document.12” to the name of that folder.

    This worked perfectly without restart.

  18. Hi
    It’s nice to see your work on this issue, i really appreciate it. But unfortunately none of this method is working out for me.i couldn’t add or remove in right click menu on new option. Im using 32 bit win7 ultimate with 2016 32 bit ms office. It would be really helpful. Thanks

  19. If a file extension has lost the descriptive name, “Text document” for instance, then it won’t be shown in Context menu.

  20. Lars Maribo.

    The best answer I’ve ever seen to a specific question.
    It works stright forward in Windows 7 Ultimate.
    And I’m very happy with that.

  21. This has worked since the Win95 days, but here’s the limit:
    You only get 1 new-option for each PerceivedType (even with different extensions).
    Ex: I have both .txt (notepad.exe) & .text (notepad++.exe) using PerceivedType=text
    Although both have ShellNew’s, WinXP+ reads 1 -or- the other, but never both!

  22. @Lars Maribo > Great Helps ! Thanks a lot !! I always create .txt-file by using Right button>W>T. After Notepad++ installed I was too much tired for its solution and googled it. Then found but editing explains for “New” on other options. Problem was terrible here to edit before you help. Because its not possible for normal users to make topics. I wish to Notepad++-app-authority will solve the problem

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