Every day, millions of people right-click a file without a second thought, and yet the small menu that opens has quietly grown heavy with entries that many never asked for. Microsoft is now offering a leaner version of that familiar list to testers in its Beta channel, letting them decide for themselves what belongs at the top and what can be tucked away. It is a modest adjustment, but it reflects a larger truth about software: the tools we use accumulate weight over time, and returning control to the person holding the mouse is often how that weight gets lifted. Whether the change reaches eve
Microsoft Brings Customizable File Explorer Context Menu to Windows 11 Beta Insiders
A right-click menu that people have learned to wait on
Mark
So what actually changed in this build?
Mimi
The redesigned File Explorer right-click menu is rolling out to Beta channel Insiders in build 26220.9757. The top level is trimmed to commonly used actions, and a "Customize menu" link opens a settings page.
Mark
Why did Microsoft do it?
Mimi
The File Explorer team said in August that the menu had become cluttered and sluggish, partly because each app that adds entries makes the menu do more work every time it opens.
Luke
Is the speedup measured anywhere? The reporting says clutter and slowness were the problem, but I don't see any numbers.
Mimi
No benchmarks are given. We know the stated cause and the design response, not how much faster it is.
Mark
What can users control?
Mimi
Built-in commands like Send to and Create shortcut can be toggled, Print can be added, and app extensions can go in a submenu or be hidden. Some actions can show as text instead of icons, and Properties can move to the bottom.
Luke
Worth noting that those details come from Microsoft's August post, not from testing of this Beta build. Things may differ.
Mimi
Fair, and Microsoft itself says the design may change based on Insider feedback.
Mark
And for ordinary Windows 11 users?
Mimi
No release date yet. Separately, eight OneDrive-based Copilot actions are being removed from the menu, reportedly from mid-November.
Luke
"Reportedly" matters there. That timing isn't firmly confirmed.
O Pulso
- The Windows 11 right-click menu has become sluggish and crowded, with app-added entries slowing every opening.
- Microsoft's redesigned menu, now in Windows Insider Beta build 26220.9757, cuts the top level down to commonly used commands.
- A new Customize menu page lets users toggle built-in commands, move app extensions into submenus or hide them, and switch icons to text labels.
- Eight OneDrive Copilot actions are being pulled from the menu, with removal reportedly beginning in mid-November.
- No release date exists for regular Windows 11 users, and Insider feedback may still reshape the design before it ships.
Every day, millions of people right-click a file without a second thought, and yet the small menu that opens has quietly grown heavy with entries that many never asked for. Microsoft is now offering a leaner version of that familiar list to testers in its Beta channel, letting them decide for themselves what belongs at the top and what can be tucked away. It is a modest adjustment, but it reflects a larger truth about software: the tools we use accumulate weight over time, and returning control to the person holding the mouse is often how that weight gets lifted. Whether the change reaches everyone remains open, shaped for now by the patience and feedback of those who test it first.
Right-click a file in Windows 11 and the menu that appears has, for many people, become something to wait on. Microsoft is now rolling out a redesigned version of that File Explorer context menu to Windows Insiders in the Beta channel, build 26220.9757.
The new design first surfaced in the Experimental channel in August. The File Explorer team admitted the menu had grown cluttered and slow, and pointed to a simple cause: every app that adds its own entries makes the menu do extra work each time it opens.
The answer is a shorter top level and a "Customize menu" link at the bottom that opens a new Settings page. There, users can switch built-in commands like Send to and Create shortcut on or off, place app extensions in the main menu, a submenu, or hide them entirely, and show common actions like Cut, Copy, and Paste as plain text instead of icons. A teaching tip may greet first-time visitors to point them toward these choices.
Microsoft says the design will keep changing with Insider feedback, so details may shift. The menu also arrives alongside the removal of eight OneDrive Copilot actions and earlier plans to preload File Explorer for faster launches. For now, there is no date for regular Windows 11 users; the feedback from Insiders will decide what eventually ships.
Right-click a file in Windows 11 and the menu that appears has, for a lot of people, become something to wait on. Microsoft is now rolling out a redesigned version of that File Explorer context menu to Windows Insiders in the Beta channel, with build 26220.9757.
The new menu is not a fresh arrival. It first appeared in the Experimental channel in August, when the File Explorer team acknowledged that the Windows 11 right-click menu had become cluttered and slow over time. Part of the reason, according to the team, is that every app that adds its own entries makes the menu do extra work each time it opens.
The redesign cuts the top level of the menu down to commonly used actions. At the bottom sits a "Customize menu" link, which opens a new Settings page where users decide what appears.
According to Microsoft's August post, that customization goes fairly deep. Built-in commands such as Send to and Create shortcut can be switched on or off, and Print can be added. App extensions can live in the main menu, sit in a submenu, or be hidden altogether. Cut, Copy, Paste, Rename, Delete, and Share can be displayed as text rather than as a row of icons, and Properties can be moved to the bottom of the menu. A teaching tip may also appear the first time someone opens the menu, pointing them toward these options.
Microsoft says it will keep refining the design based on feedback from Insiders, so some of what is described could still change before the menu reaches anyone else.
The menu is one piece of a wider File Explorer cleanup. Microsoft is also removing eight OneDrive-based Copilot actions from the right-click menu, reportedly starting in mid-November. Earlier, the company announced plans to preload File Explorer in the background to speed up how quickly it launches.
There is no word yet on when the new context menu will reach regular Windows 11 users. For now, it is a Beta-channel feature, and the feedback Insiders send back will shape what eventually ships.
Citações Notáveis
The File Explorer team acknowledged the right-click menu had become cluttered and slow, partly because each app's added entries make it do extra work on opening.— Microsoft File Explorer team, August post (paraphrased)
Quer a matéria completa?
Leia o original em TechPowerUp ↗
Technology