Restore Classic Right-Click Menu in Windows 11

Windows 11 introduced a redesigned, simplified context menu that hides many traditional options behind a secondary “Show more options” click. This guide explains how to permanently restore the full, classic Windows 10-style right-click context menu by default using a simple Command Prompt command or manual Registry edit, as well as how to revert the changes if needed.

Method 1: Using Command Prompt (Fastest)

The quickest way to restore the classic context menu is by using a single command in the Windows Terminal or Command Prompt.

  1. Right-click the Start button and select Terminal or Command Prompt.
  2. Copy and paste the following command into the window:
reg add "HKCU\Software\Classes\CLSID\{86ca1aa0-34aa-4e8b-a509-50c905bae2a2}\InprocServer32" /f /ve
  1. Press Enter. You should see the message: The operation completed successfully.
  2. Restart the Windows Explorer process to apply the changes immediately. You can do this by running the following command:
taskkill /f /im explorer.exe && start explorer.exe

Alternatively, restart your computer. The classic right-click menu will now open by default.

Method 2: Using the Registry Editor (Manual)

If you prefer to make the change manually through the Windows Registry Editor:

  1. Press Windows Key + R to open the Run dialog box.

  2. Type regedit and press Enter to launch the Registry Editor.

  3. Navigate to the following path:

    HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Classes\CLSID

  4. Right-click the CLSID folder, select New > Key, and name it:

    {86ca1aa0-34aa-4e8b-a509-50c905bae2a2}

  5. Right-click the newly created key ({86ca1aa0-34aa-4e8b-a509-50c905bae2a2}), select New > Key, and name this subkey:

    InprocServer32

  6. Select the InprocServer32 key. In the right pane, double-click the (Default) entry.

  7. Without typing anything, click OK. This ensures the data value is set to blank rather than (value not set).

  8. Close the Registry Editor and restart your computer or restart Windows Explorer via Task Manager.

How to Undo and Restore the Windows 11 Modern Menu

To switch back to the standard Windows 11 context menu at any time:

  1. Open Command Prompt or Terminal.
  2. Run the following command:
reg delete "HKCU\Software\Classes\CLSID\{86ca1aa0-34aa-4e8b-a509-50c905bae2a2}" /f
  1. Restart Windows Explorer or reboot your PC to restore the default Windows 11 context menu.