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The right click (context) menu is minimal and clean on a fresh installation of Windows. Install a bunch of applications and soon the context menu is loaded with all kinds of opening options from various applications.

How do I remove items from the right click (context) menu?

I find that there are different types of right click menu items:

  • Global items that appear in all context menus.

  • Items that appear only on folders.

  • Items that appear only on files.

  • Items that appear only on special folders (Ex: Right clicking a folder of MP3s shows up a context menu with items like Play with Windows Media Player.)

  • Items that appear only on certain file types (Ex: Right clicking a MP3 file shows up a context menu with items from Windows Media Player/Foobar2000/VLC/your-favorite-media-player begging to open this file.)

I want to be able to delete all these kinds items from the right click (context) menu.

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4 Answers

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I've written a lengthy explanation of how to clean up a messy context menu, using either the registry editor or some freeware NirSoft tools.

How to Clean Up Your Messy Windows Context Menu

alt text

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That is exactly what I was looking for! My problems are solved now, thanks! :-) – Ashwin Sep 11 at 5:19
Is it windows 7 compatible? – D Connors Oct 9 at 6:43
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From here:

  1. Click Start
  2. Click Run
  3. Type in regedit and click ENTER
  4. Browse to the following: HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\*\shellex\ContextMenuHandlers
  5. You simply delete or export then delete the keys you do not want

There are several "kinds" of menu handlers, however, so you could browse to any of the following and perhaps find stuff you want to get rid of:

HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\*\OpenWithList
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\*\shellex\ContextMenuHandlers
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Directory\Background
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Directory\shell
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Directory\shellex\ContextMenuHandlers
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Drive\shell
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Drive\shellex\ContextMenuHandlers
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Folder\shell
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Folder\shellex\ContextMenuHandlers
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Gosh! I wish I could do the same for right clicks in Firefox... I don't want to loose all addons, but I would wanna loose the options in this sort of way – Ivo♦ Jul 16 at 10:13
Thanks Paolo. I find that this still does not remove some options that appear on special folders (filled with MP3s) and does not remove file type specific items. – Ashwin Sep 11 at 2:52
@Ivo: there's the Menu Editor addon for Firefox for this: addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/710 – snark Sep 11 at 3:33
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If you're running Windows XP, Microsoft has a free utility called Microsoft PowerToys for Windows XP. The specific "PowerToy" that has the remove menu items options is called "TweakUI".

How to edit menu options with TweakUI:

  1. Download, install and open TweakUI.
  2. Click on the the "Templates" option on the left hand side.
  3. Check/uncheck the items you want.
  4. Bonus: Add other custom items.

Link

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Thanks Frank. TweakUI Templates works only for the New context menu item. – Ashwin Sep 11 at 5:21
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I use Glary Utls. for that

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