Windows: How to add batch-script action to Right Click menu

Question

I have a few programs that creates temp files or backup files or similar files that are not important. For example, GVim for Windows by default creates a backup file in filename.txt~.

I sometimes need to clean up a directory and remove all these files. I have made a simple .bat file for this. However, it is cumbersome to have to start up CMD, navigate to the folder, run the script. Especially since this is a script that I would like to run often on various folders. And I do not want to copy the script to multiple folders, as this would be a maintenance nightmare.

So, I was thinking, that the best solution would be to add a Right Click menu item that allows me to run the script. So that I can right click on a folder in Explorer and click Cleanup and then have my script run on this folder.

So my question is: How do I add a right click menu action that runs a custom batch script?

Answer 1

I have tried on Windows XP SP3 with this .reg key. Don't have Windows 7 at the moment to test it properly but it should be almost the same.

1. Open notepad and paste the code from below.
2. Edit as per your need.
3. Save as MyScript1.reg
4. Double click to import in registry.
5. Test by Right click on any directory in Explorer

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Directory\shell\MyScript1]
@="Execute MyScript1"

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Directory\shell\MyScript1\command]
@="\"C:\\MyScriptsDirectory\\MyScript1Directory\\MyScript1.bat\" \"%1\""

Answer 2

Actually, the current answer isn't out of date. I tried the exact same thing on Windows 10 and was able to add Run Batch script to the context menu of all folders in Windows.

This is the content of my batch script (won't work with UNC paths):

@ECHO OFF
ECHO %~n0 was called with the following arguments:
SET args=%*
IF NOT DEFINED args GOTO END
ECHO %*
:END
PAUSE

The registry changes I made can be replicated with this REG file:

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Directory\shell\Run Batch script]
@="&Run Batch script"

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Directory\shell\Run Batch script\command]
@="\"H:\\BATCH_FILE_PATH\\context-batch.bat\" \"%1\""

This only adds a context menu item for all directories/folders in Windows. If you want it showing for each and every file instead, you can use this:

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\*\shell\Run script]
@="Run &script"

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\*\shell\Run script\command]
@="\"H:\\BATCH_FILE_PATH\\context-batch.bat\" \"%1\""

Alternatively, you can add your batch script to the Send To item list by creating a shortcut to your batch script and placing it under %APPDATA%\Microsoft\Windows\SendTo (or enter shell:sendto into the address bar)

If you want your script to show in the context menu that appears when you right click on the empty space within a directory (directory background?) you can use the following REG file:

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Directory\Background\shell\Run Batch script]
@="&Run Batch script"
"Icon"="%SystemRoot%\\System32\\shell32.dll,71"

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Directory\Background\shell\Run Batch script\command]
@="H:\\BATCH_FILE_PATH\\context-batch.bat \"%V\""

You don't need the "Icon"="%SystemRoot%\\System32\\shell32.dll,71" line. It simply adds an icon to your context-menu that looks like this:

Answer 3

I would recommend Default Programs Editor for this task. It is both more user friendly and arguably safer than editing the registry directly.

Choose Context Menu

Select the extension you want to change.

Choose Add...

Give your command a Title, browse to the batch file and optionally pick an icon to represent your command.

Save the context menu to the registry and you're good to go.

Answer 4

@Vinayak,

If using the "send to" option, you would probably need to add the line cd /d %1 to the start of the batch command so that it runs under the target path.

my current batch file looks like this:

@echo off
cd /d %1    
del *.txt
pause

Thanks for the help, I happened to stumble upon this via google at the right time :)

Answer 5

Alternative solution which I use on Windows 10 is adding script to one of folders in path variable, and then when you are in explorer use sequence:

• ctrl + L - to start writing in search bar

• type: cmd, then press Enter - to start cmd in current directory

• run your script, by typing its file name

Answer 6

I am using one to add the registry entries when they do not exist, and use an icon file of the folder, if it exists, already renaming it to Folder.ico.

@echo off 

setlocal EnableExtensions
title <nul && title ..\\%~nx0
%__AppDir__%chcp.com 1252 >nul

set "_bat=%~dpnx0" & %__AppDir__%mode.com 40,02
set "_key=HKCR\Directory\shell\Set_Folder_Icon"

set "_reg_qry=%__AppDir__%reg.exe query "%_key%""
set "_ico_reg=%SystemRoot%\System32\shell32.dll,71"
set "_bat=%_bat:\=\\%" & set "_ico_reg=%_ico_reg:\=\\%"

>nul 2>&1 ( %__AppDir__%net.exe "session" && set "_adm=y" || set "_adm=n"
      %_reg_qry%|%__AppDir__%find.exe "_" && set "_reg=y" || set "_reg=n")

if /i "%_adm%|%_reg%" == "y|n" >nul 2>&1 (
    ( %__AppDir__%reg.exe add "%_key%" /ve /d "Set Folder Icon" /f
      %__AppDir__%reg.exe add "%_key%\command" /ve /d "\"%_bat%\" \"%%V\"" /f
      %__AppDir__%reg.exe add "%_key%" /v Icon /t reg_sz /d "\"%_ico_reg%\"" /f
    )&& goto %:^))else if /i "%_adm%|%_reg%" == "n|n" (set "_er=y" && goto %:^|
    )else if "%_adm%%_reg%" == "yy" (set "_er=n" && goto %:^|)else ;set "_er=n"
    
%:^)
2>nul cd/d "%~dpnx1\\." && %__AppDir__%Attrib.exe -r -a .\. || goto %:^|

if exist .\\Folder.ico (%__AppDir__%Attrib.exe -s -r -h +a .\\Folder.ico
    )else if exist .\\*.ico (for %%i in (.\\*.ico)do ren "%%~fi" Folder.ico & goto %:^/
    )else goto %:^| )

%:^/ 
if exist .\\Desktop.ini >.\\Desktop.old (
     %__AppDir__%Attrib.exe -s -r -h +a .\\Desktop.ini
     echo;[.ShellClassInfo] && echo;IconResource=Folder.ico,0
     %__AppDir__%Findstr.exe /bliv "\[\.Shell IconR IconF IconI" <.\\Desktop.ini
    )else >nul 2>&1 %__AppDir__%CertUtil.exe -decode -f "%~dpnx0" .\\Desktop.ini

if exist .\\Desktop.old >nul 2>&1 move/y .\\Desktop.old .\\Desktop.ini
        
%:^|
if "%_er%" == "y" (%__AppDir__%timeout.exe 5|echo\Admin rights required!
    )else if "%_er%" == "n" (%__AppDir__%Attrib.exe +s +r +h -a .\\Desktop.ini 
     <con: %__AppDir__%Attrib.exe -r +a .\. && %__AppDir__%Attrib.exe +r -a .\.
     <con: cd../ && %comSpec% /e:off/v:off/s/q/r "ren "%~dpnx1" "%~nx1" >nul 2>&1"
    )>nul 2>&1 else rem :: batch continue.
     
2>nul del/q /f /a "%~f1\Desktop.old" & endlocal & <con: move nul 2>&0 ||goto :eOf
::-----BEGIN -----Wy5TaGVsbENsYXNzSW5mb10gDQpJY29uUmVzb3VyY2U9LlxGb2xkZXIuaWNvLDA
NCltWaWV3U3RhdGVdDQpNb2RlPQ0KVmlkPQ0KRm9sZGVyVHlwZT1HZW5lcmljDQo=-----END -----::

---

This code considers:

• That you are going to put the bat in the folder where it should be, where it will always be called.

• Will run a first time (as an administrator) so that the necessary entries in the Windows registry are added, (by the bat itself) and pointed to the location of the/this File.bat.

• The following executions will be right click menu, in the target folder

• If a Folder.ico file is in the target folder, it will be used, in the absence, another icon file will be used, and renamed to Folder.ico

• When a Desktop.ini file exists in the target folder, the necessary edits will be made to replace the .ico file, if not, a new one will be created.

• To add or change a folder icon

---

• You also can use a .cmd instead .reg file to add all entries in the Windows Register

• Save the contents below as File.cmd, and run as an administrator to add the registry entries.

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00 2>nul

;The following line/commands run and add the current file by "itself"
;@(cls & %__APPDIR__%reg.exe import "%~f0" >nul 2>&1 & goto=:EOF )

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Directory\shell\Set_Folder_Icon]
@="Set Folder Icon"
"Icon"="\"C:\\\\WINDOWS\\\\System32\\\\shell32.dll,71\""

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Directory\shell\Set_Folder_Icon\command]
@="\"F:\\\\2020-SU\\\\Q1635169\\\\Q1635169.cmd\" \"%V\""

; Just replace drive and folder\file name...

Obs.: Initially to answer