Again, restart Windows Explorer after running this to see the results. Is It Safe?
: This points to the "HKEY_CURRENT_USER" hive, meaning the change only affects your user profile, not every user on the PC.
This specific Registry command is the "magic wand" for Windows 11 users who miss the classic context menu. If you’re tired of clicking "Show more options" every time you want to right-click a file, this command restores the Windows 10-style menu instantly. What Does This Command Actually Do? Again, restart Windows Explorer after running this to
For the changes to take effect, you don't need to reboot. Just open Task Manager (Ctrl+Shift+Esc), find Windows Explorer , right-click it, and select Restart . How to Undo the Change
Windows 11 introduced a simplified, acrylic-style context menu. While it looks modern, it hides many third-party app shortcuts (like 7-Zip, Notepad++, or specialized work tools) behind an extra click. This specific Registry command is the "magic wand"
reg delete "HKCU\Software\Classes\CLSID\{86ca1aa0-34aa-4e8b-a509-50c905bae2a2}" /f
: By leaving the value blank, you trick Windows into failing to load the "new" menu, causing it to fail-over to the classic one. How to Use It For the changes to take effect, you don't need to reboot
Yes. Because this command operates within HKEY_CURRENT_USER , it doesn't touch core system files or affect other users. It is a widely recognized "power user" tweak used to improve productivity. However, always be careful when editing the Registry; it’s a good habit to create a System Restore point before making manual changes. reg file or a for multiple computers?
Right-click the Start button and select Terminal (Admin) or Command Prompt (Admin) .