Can't get the old context menu

Question

Can't get the old context menu

David Schulze 0

Recently, possibly after a Windows update, the right-click brings up a new looking context menu. One option that used to show up previously was a shortcut to 7-Zip, that I use frequently. But now it's no longer there. The only way I can find to open the old context menu is by using Shift-Right, and then I can see 7-Zip. But how do I revert back to the old context menu?

I have searched around the Internet and found a method to switch it back to the old menu, which is explained here:

https://www.azurecurve.co.uk/2023/01/restore-windows-10-style-right-click-context-menu-in-windows-11/

However, this method doesn't work! How can I permanently change the context menu back to the older one?

panchito95 85 Reputation points

2026-11-11T00:50:24.32+00:00

@David Schulze In 26H2, Windows enabled a new context menu engine that ignores the classic registry tweak. You can fix it in a few seconds with ViVeTool so the old registry key works again:

Download ViVeTool from its official GitHub page and extract the zip into a folder.

Open Command Prompt as Administrator inside that folder and run:vivetool /disable /id:60813048

Make sure the classic context menu registry key is applied by running:reg add "HKCU\Software\Classes\CLSID\{86ca1aa0-34aa-4e8b-a509-50c905bae2a2}\InprocServer32" /f /ve

Restart your PC.

2 answers

Your answer

panchito95 85 Reputation points

2026-11-11T00:50:24.32+00:00

@David Schulze In 26H2, Windows enabled a new context menu engine that ignores the classic registry tweak. You can fix it in a few seconds with ViVeTool so the old registry key works again:

Download ViVeTool from its official GitHub page and extract the zip into a folder.

Open Command Prompt as Administrator inside that folder and run:vivetool /disable /id:60813048

Make sure the classic context menu registry key is applied by running:reg add "HKCU\Software\Classes\CLSID\{86ca1aa0-34aa-4e8b-a509-50c905bae2a2}\InprocServer32" /f /ve

Restart your PC.

Answer 1

Farabi Mahbub 0

This one worked for me. Looks like the new menu needs a second registry key in addition to the old one.

https://offtheclocklabs.com/blog/windows-11-old-right-click-menu/

0 comments

Answer 2

Airbus A350 8,395 Volunteer Moderator

Hello,

There may be a setting on your PC where you can change back to the old context menu without having to manually mess with the Registry. To do this, open Settings > Personalization > Context Menu and then scroll down to where you see "Additional options". There should be an option called "Show more options" that allows you to default to the old style of context menu.

If not, open a Command Prompt window (as admin) and then copy and paste reg.exe add "HKCU\Software\Classes\CLSID\{86ca1aa0-34aa-4e8b-a509-50c905bae2a2}\InprocServer32" /f /ve and push enter. Once the command runs successfully, restart your PC and see if that brings back the old context menu.

Please let me know how this works.

David Schulze 0 Reputation points

2026-11-10T14:01:08.15+00:00

Unfortunately, no. The only way I can get to the old context menu is to do Shift-Right-Click. I doesn't sound like much, but when you forget to do the Shift first, you need to back up and start over. Even the method in the link I included (and the one you outlined) doesn't work. (I can see the change it made to the Registry, but it just doesn't make the old context menu come up.)
Airbus A350 8,395 Reputation points Volunteer Moderator

2026-11-10T20:27:19.99+00:00

Hello,

If you could open the Start Menu and then type winver and then push enter, what version number do you see? Please include a screenshot of the window while hiding your personal information like email address.

I hope to hear back from you.
Jayne E 0 Reputation points

2026-11-10T22:08:41.5766667+00:00

doesn't seem to work anymore. Probably one of the recent Win11 updates wiped it out and when I tried to use the same registry hack, it just messed up the context menu completely. The only way to get even the current Win 11 context menu back was to do a system restore. Grrrrrrrrrrrr. Is it hard to switch to a Mac if I use android and have been with windows since the dark ages?
Airbus A350 8,395 Reputation points Volunteer Moderator

2026-11-11T00:07:45.8033333+00:00

Hello,

I meant to include this snippet in the other comment, but I believe that Microsoft has removed the ability to successfully use the registry hack to get the old context menu back since version 26H2 released around September. It was replaced with the option to go to Settings > Personalization > Context Menu and toggling the option to show the legacy menu.

I hope this information helps.
probsMel 0 Reputation points

2026-11-12T14:31:45.6133333+00:00

The registry edit no longer works to get the legacy context menu back, another major loss for me anyway (a reason why i used the legacy context menu) is the inability to use access keys (ie Alt+e opened in new window etc) in the 'modern' context menus, we need these added into the modern one if we are losing our ability to edit the registry to default be the legacy context menu when we right-click

Relatedly the access keys (and editable ribbon) in File Explorer is why I also use the legacy File Explorer (thru the Windows Tools hack), so now paranoid they are about to take that away too.

Really hope Microsoft adds access keys (underlined letters we can use with the alt key for most right-click options) into the context menu, they are amazingly useful and a major reason for all my 'hacking' to get to the legacy versions

Side note too give an option to make everything tighter spaced, all the 'modern' ones feel finger friendly, need an option to get the spacing nice and tight if preferred).