How to fix folder problem

Peter Woodhouse 85 Reputation points
2026-10-21T05:56:36.58+00:00

When I left click a folder to change name or delete etc it use to come up with itemised options in icons and also names.

Now it just comes up with icons and nothing else. I haven't changed anything but it has only started since yesterday.

Hope someone can help.

Peter

Windows for home | Windows 11 | Files, folders, and storage
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Answer accepted by question author

AI answer

2026-10-21T05:57:40.6433333+00:00

If Customize menu appears when you right-click the folder, use it to show Rename, Delete, and the other commands as labeled menu items; otherwise select Show more options to open the traditional menu with names.

Restore the command names

  1. Right-click the folder.
    The options menu normally opens with a right-click, so this assumes “left click” in the question meant “right-click.”
  2. If Customize menu appears at the bottom:
    • Select it.
    • Choose the layout that displays Cut, Copy, Paste, Rename, Delete, and Share directly in the menu instead of as a row of icons.
    This customization is being introduced through newer Windows 11 builds and might not yet exist on every PC.^1^
  3. If Customize menu is absent, select Show more options. You can also press Shift+F10 after selecting the folder. This opens the older menu where commands are displayed with their names.^2^

In the streamlined menu, Windows documents Cut, Copy, Paste, Rename, Share, and Delete as icons along the top. Hovering the mouse pointer over an icon should display its name.^3^

Because it changed yesterday

Check whether Windows installed an update or changed your build:

  1. Press Windows+R, enter winver, and press Enter.
  2. Note the Windows version and OS build, and whether it identifies the PC as a Windows Insider build.
  3. Open Settings → Windows Update → Update history and look for an update installed when the menu changed.

Microsoft has introduced and subsequently disabled context-menu labels in some Windows 11 Insider Beta builds, so an overnight change can be a controlled interface rollout rather than damaged folders.^4^

If hovering does not show a command name, or the menu is blank or unresponsive, restart the PC and then install any available updates from Settings → Windows Update → Check for updates. These are general File Explorer diagnostics, not a known fix for the normal icon-row layout.^5^

Avoid resetting Windows or editing the registry for this symptom.

References

  1. Windows 11 Insider Release Preview Build 26200.9807/26300.9807
  2. Windows app development best practices
  3. Windows 11
  4. Announcing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22635.5170 (Beta Channel)
  5. Fix File Explorer if it won't open or start | Microsoft Support
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