We are already familiar with the concept of a context menu. It's time to deepen our knowledge about it and consider the topic - How to remove or add to context menu Windows commands.

The functionality of Windows makes it possible for the user to edit the context menu to his taste.

Editing the context menu (a set of "explorer" or "actions" menu commands) is possible in one of two ways:

• Through the program settings;
• Through the Windows registry;
• With the help of additional installed applications.

Let's see how it's done:

Installed programs often have (by default) the ability to integrate into the context menu (CM) command set. Then such a parameter is present in their settings on the main tabs, and maybe on such as "Integration", "Download" or "Add", etc. For example, for the WinRAR archiver, it is enough to uncheck the settings:

It is clear that in this way you can both add (installing) and remove (removing) a command (s) from the list. Do the same with other applications.

Working with the registry

When working with Windows Registry you have to be very careful. To be in the registry, you need to search the Start menu by typing "regedit" and run the found executable file "regedit.exe":

Making a copy

Before editing the Registry of any version of Windows (including Windows 7), do not forget to back it up to be safe. To do this, in the editor, on the "File" tab, select the "Export" command. Select "Entire Registry" at the bottom of the dialog that opens. By assigning a name and specifying a location - "Save":

If something irreparable happens (especially for an inexperienced person), you can return the registry to its previous state using the “File” / “Restore” command, specifying the previously created backup file.

Cleaning up a set for directories

The registry itself looks like a tree-like block diagram (on the left side), each of the branches of which has its own parameters (on the right). The "shell", "Shellex ContextMenuHandlers" and "Folder\shell" branches of the "HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\ Directory" are responsible for the folder context menu. Having examined these branches in more detail, you can make sure that the "shell" folder includes the upper part of the context set, and the "Shellex ContextMenuHandlers" folder - the lower one. The folder "Folder\shell" repeats the previous one.

Removal program elements from the set is produced in each of the branches. By right mouse click, the delete element is selected, the “Delete” command is called:

Now for files

The same procedure is used here, but in other branches. Since the “*/shellexContextMenuHandlers” and “*/shell” branches in the “HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT” registry key are responsible for the set of Context Menu commands for files:

The removal procedure is exactly the same. Do not forget to only delete unnecessary in both branches.

We use third party applications

Remove or add an item to the context menu of any Windows versions(including Windows 7) is much easier (and safer for a beginner) using additional utilities.

After installation and launch, in the program window (by the “Type” column) you can see all programs from the context menu. windows menu(type=ContextMenu).

Unnecessary is removed by highlighting and pressing the red circle:

An interesting and useful utility with a telling name (there is a free version) Ccleaner. It has many useful properties. Website - http://ccleaner.org.ua/. In our case, it clears the registry of unused entries, paths to programs, shortcuts, etc.:

To clear the Context Menu, you need to go to the "Service", in the "Startup" tabs, find the "Context Menu". This will display the list of applications added to the set and their status (enabled: yes/no):

To delete - being on the line, right mouse the "Delete" command is invoked. Since a second return (inclusion in the list) is possible only when reinstalling or reconfiguring the application, it is recommended that you select the "Disable" option. - Then it will be easy to return ("Enable").

Adding with FileMenu Tools

It is very easy to add a new item to the context menu using the FileMenu Tools program.

It offers the user three tabs:

• Left - management of the proposed elements;
• Medium - to configure the "Send" function;
• Right - disables the added ones from the list third party programs commands:

Add new element need the "Add Command" command. To specify its parameters, the lower right part of the window - “Properties” is intended. For example, to list the menu string "Open in Firefox" (opening HTM and HTML files):

In "Menu Text" you need to enter the name, and in "Extensions" - options for extensions:

In "Program Properties" the route to the executable file of the Firefox.exe application is written:

Saving the added item is done by pressing the green element at the top of the window (on the left):

This article helped you understand the various ways to edit the context menu. Now you know how to add and remove elements from it not only using Windows, but also using other programs.

Good day ... In today's article, we'll talk about how you can clear the context menu of the Explorer program in Windows.General context menu Windows Explorer- a convenient tool, but quickly acquiring unnecessary items.

Almost every second program considers it its duty to stuff their commands or sub-items into them. Of course, for some types of software this is relevant and in demand by users.As an example, a clause added by a majority antivirus programs- "Check for viruses" (the exact name of different manufacturers, of course, is different).

Why is a clogged context menu bad?

Difficulties arise in usability, in other words - to find the desired item or command in the menu with your eyes, if there are several dozen sub-items, it is more difficult than when there are half a dozen of them. In addition, pop-up submenu blocks confuse even experienced users, albeit for seconds. And there is nothing to say about newcomers.

Because of the menus clogged with unnecessary rubbish, the system itself begins to slow down, or rather, the explorer (Explorer.exe). Such "brakes" are noticeable even on the newest and most powerful configurations, not to mention the "budget" and "office" options.

How to edit the context menu

It would seem - to uninstall unnecessary program and its associated commands will also be removed. But what if the program is needed, but its items in the context menu are not? In addition, not all programs “clean up after themselves” when uninstalled, i.e. menu items may remain when the program associated with them is no longer in the system.

There are two ways to solve

1. Using system tools (Registry Editor)
2. Using utilities third party manufacturers

Note

• You can just press the combination Win + R and type "regedit" (without quotes)
• On Win 7 and 8 Regedit.exe is better to run immediately as administrator

Important! Before further steps, you need to export the editable subsection !

Make it simple. Right click on the name of the subsection - "Export".

In the window that opens, the system will “ask” what to export (a separate branch or the entire registry), in which folder to save the copy and under what name. In the future, if necessary, you can return everything “to the way it was” with a simple double click on this copy file (import back) and restart the computer to be sure.

So. You need to find and open a branch:

HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\*\ShellEx\ContextMenuHandlers

and delete unnecessary context menu items (same as in screenshot 1, just select the "Delete" command).

In addition, you should immediately look atHKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\*\OpenWithList

Here are the entries of programs from the sub-item of the context menu "Open with". Cleaning it, as a rule, gives a very noticeable increase in the speed of the conductor. In the same way, you can clear the context menu for folders in branches from unnecessary:

• HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Directory\shell
• HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Directory\shellex\ContextMenu Handlers
• HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Folder\shellHKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Folder\shellex\ContextMenuHandlers

And for certain types of files in entries like "HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\.<расширение файла>". For example - "HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\.avi".

The advantages of this method

• Does not require installation extra programs
• All changes are reversible

Cons of this method

• Rather time-consuming process (manually edit a lot of parameters).
• Difficult for novice users.
• Some programs are listed in the above sections not by their own name, but by a “human-intelligible” identifier (this can be seen in screenshot 3). As a result, they must first be "identified".
• There is a risk of “hooking” the commands and points of the system itself (once again, emphasis on the importance of pre-exporting backups!).

Installing a specialized utility

There are quite a few programs of this type. Good feedback there is about the ContextEdit program, but it is paid. There are also free CCleaner (we read how to use the program) and the Context Menu Tuner program.But they "see" by no means all the items of the context menu. And they have problems with "rollback" of actions in case of errors. Autoruns from Win Sysinternals requires professional knowledge, this is clearly not a level for beginners.

Against their background, a fairly reliable and simple program ShellExView by Nirsoft. You can download it from this link. Install the program, copy the ShExView_lng.ini crack to the root folder of the program and run it.The program is easy to bring to a form understandable even for beginners.

"Settings" "Filtering by Extension Type" "Explorer Menu".

And it's easy to edit - there is a "Deactivate" command, i.e., an unnecessary item can simply be disabled without deleting it. In case of an error, it can be turned back on in two mouse clicks (the “Activate” command).

pros

• There is an archived version (does not require installation)
• Doesn't install its own toolbars in browsers, doesn't crawl into startup and the Internet on its own, doesn't offer any advertising nonsense in its interface

Minuses

• Russifier ShExView_lng.ini must be copied separately to the program folder
• The availability of new versions must be checked on your own. official website

However, these two aspects can be attributed to the minuses very conditionally. That's basically all I wanted to say about this. I think this article will be helpful...

Every Windows user knows that, regardless of the program, right-clicking on the mouse can call up an additional, so-called context menu, which contains a set of special teams and links. Let's try to figure out what it is for and how to work with it correctly.

What is the Windows context menu

Speaking about the context menu of "OSes" of the Windows family, I immediately want to note the fact that some exclusive development Microsoft Corporation it is not. Mac OS X or Linux also has this element.

In general, if you understand what a context menu is, it can be described as an additional set of commands for quick access to some functions, say, without calling specific application or a control.

So, for example, everyone knows that the context menu always contains the "Open with ..." command, after which a list of the most suitable applications for working with the file is displayed. You yourself understand how much more convenient it is to open a file here than to call the program, and then go to the "File" menu and use the "Open" line or a combination Ctrl keys+O.

In addition, in addition to commands, there is also a set of special tools with which you can learn many things. But more on that later.

View and organization of the context menu

Let us now consider how the Windows 7 context menu is organized. Probably, everyone paid attention to the fact that the menu itself contains special separators in the form of thin horizontal lines. The meaning of their use is to distinguish between actions of the same type or commands belonging to one program.

Here it is worth paying attention to the fact that the context menu in a “clean” system, so to speak, immediately after installation, can be very different from what the user sees after installation. additional programs and utilities. This is due to the fact that many installation packages integrate commands for quick access to some of their main functions directly into this menu during the installation process.

Most of all, this applies to anti-virus software, media players, programs for working with disk images, archivers, etc. In principle, the user can add his own items to ensure the convenience of work.

Additional menu on the desktop and in program windows

Surely, every user paid attention that the context menu in different programs or on the same desktop differs in the list of items and commands. It `s naturally. For example, if you call up the menu on the desktop, it becomes clear that the “Open” line used for folders and files is not needed there. Another thing is when the mouse button is clicked on a shortcut or a saved file located on the desktop.

As it is already clear, in different programs the context menu can also contain dissimilar items. In this case, it all depends on the specifics of the application. Compare at least a regular Explorer and text word editor. But for now we will talk about "native" Windows OS commands.

Basic context menu items

Dropdown menus are present almost everywhere, even in the main Start menu. In any of them you can see some items marked with arrows. This is done to show that the clause itself contains additional subclauses.

As usual, for files and folders at the very top there is always an "Open" command, highlighted in bold. When you click on this line in relation to files, they will be opened in any program. You need to know that selection occurs only if the application itself sets the association of the file with this particular program. Otherwise, using this command will only result in the system prompting you to browse and select the most appropriate application. If several programs are associated with the file, you can use the "Open with ..." line, which will contain a list of programs that work with the extension of the file you are looking for.

It goes without saying that in the context menu of the same Explorer there are commands like "Copy", "Delete", "Cut", "Paste", "Send", "Rename", "Create Shortcut", etc. Even a child knows this. On the other hand, there is also a "Properties" line, the use of which provides the user with complete information about the object being used.

So, for example, when calling such a command, when clicking on the computer icon on the desktop, you can get general information about the main parameters computer system and installed operating system. For the desktop, the context menu provides basically only the use of settings and options for synchronizing folders with sharing attributes.

Some menus also provide administration or inspection tools for selected items.

Using Additional Context Menu Commands

Now let's talk about some additional commands. If you give an example installed antivirus, you will notice that the context menu will always contain lines like "Scan" or "Check with ...". Agree, very convenient.

The same applies to archivers, because you can add a file (folder) to an archive or extract it from there with one click.

Many media players behave in a similar way, integrating their own commands into the system's context menu. Most often, for multimedia files, the items for adding to a playlist or playing (video and audio) appear here, and for graphics, this is a view command. In general, it all depends on which program integrates its own menus into the menu. command lines, and what objects are associated with it.

Adding and removing commands in the system registry

So we got to solving the problem - how to add your own items to the context menu. This can be done in several ways. In this case, at least three options can be proposed. Two of them concern editing the system registry, and one concerns the use of specialized utilities.

In the system registry, you can use the addition of keys, but if you don’t know which keys and their values ​​​​are responsible for a particular process, you can spend a lot of time, achieve nothing in the end, and bring the system to a state of complete inoperability.

Therefore, consider the simplest way to work with the registry. First, the command to access the regedit editor is used in the Run menu. Here you need to go to the HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT section, find AllFilesystemObjects, then shellex and finally ContextMenuHandlers.

V last section an additional menu is selected by clicking the right mouse button and the command for creating a new object and the key "New" and "Key" is executed, respectively. Now you need to enter a name for the newly created key, which will be displayed in the context menu, after which we select the "Change" command and in the overview indicate the location of the program or application that will be responsible for the new action. Confirm the selection and reboot the system.

Deleting the keys in this section will cause the corresponding command from the menu to disappear. But if you do not know which key is responsible for what, it is better not to change the standard configuration.

Using the Context Menu Tuner

However, as practice shows, no one really wants to rummage through the registry (you never know what can happen). Therefore, we can advise special utilities to add and remove items to the OS context menu.

One of the simplest, but very functional, is a utility called Context Menu Tuner. It will help you quickly change the menu beyond recognition. Everything is simple here. The main window includes two panels. Commands are located on the left, folders and main parameters are on the right. As it is already clear, there is nothing easier than choosing desired command and the button to add it, say, to the desktop menu. Removal is done in reverse.

Separately, it is worth noting some additional options. First, you can select some file extension, and only then associate the appropriate command and program with it.

Changing the context menu access button

By default, the context menu button is the right mouse button. It is very easy to swap buttons and call the context menu with a left click. To do this, you need to go to the mouse settings in the Control Panel and perform the necessary manipulations. Only and everything.

In this lesson, we will take a closer look at the functions of a very useful key that is on any keyboard. This key is called the "Context menu key". It is located in the lower right part of the keyboard between the ALT and CTRL keys.

When this key is pressed, the CONTEXT MENU is called up, exactly the same as if you pressed the RIGHT mouse button.

The feature of this button is that the menu called up when pressed will display functions (menu items) that can be applied in the current program, in the active window, on the desktop, etc. Those. this menu adapts to the process in which you are directly working, and this is very convenient.

Now let's take a closer look at the main options for displaying the context menu in different environments and the functions that can be performed using this menu.

1. Pressing the RIGHT mouse button or the "Context menu" key on the Desktop Windows desktop

For Windows 7
When you press the RIGHT mouse button or the "Context Menu" key on the Windows 7 desktop, a menu of the following form appears:

1. At the very top of the menu - setting parameters your video card.
2.View- setting the display of icons on the desktop

3. Sorting- setting sorting by displaying icons on the desktop

4. Refresh- updating the display of content on the desktop.
5.Insert- if you copied something, you can paste it on your desktop.
6. Create. Here you can create on the Desktop: folder, shortcut, Text Document, archive, MS Office documents - Word, Excel, PowerPoint, etc. (if installed)

7. Screen resolution. Here you can set desired settings Screen: Select a screen (there may be more than one), view or set the screen resolution, determine the screen orientation, and configure other screen settings such as connecting a projector.

8. Gadgets- selection and installation Windows Gadgets 7. There is no such function in Windows XP.

9. Personalization. Here you can set up appearance The desktop has become, change the background, screensaver, sounds, theme, window color, etc.

For Windows XP

In Windows XP, as many of course know, the context menu looks simpler, but performs almost the same functions.

When you press the RIGHT mouse button or the "Context Menu" key on the Windows XP desktop, a menu of the following type appears:

1. Using the first menu item Arrange icons we can perform the following operations:

Screen resolution configured on the tab Parameters

2. Pressing the RIGHT mouse button or the "Context menu" key on a file or folder in Explorer or any other file manager.

When you press the RIGHT mouse button or the "Context Menu" key on a file in Explorer or any other file manager, the menu is also adjusted to a file of a certain type. For example, I clicked by video file. The following menu opens:

In this case, the menu offers functions that correspond specifically to the video file: play, add to the list of the player that is selected by default for of this type file. And a number of standard functions: open with, add to archive (if an archiver is installed), send, cut, copy, delete, rename and file properties.

If you click the RIGHT mouse button or the "Context menu" button on a graphic file, then a menu will open that will correspond to graphic type file:

Here you can immediately open, edit or print the selected file in the default image program. In my case, this is the ACDSee program.

Here you can immediately make the selected file background image for the Desktop, very handy when choosing from a large list. And then there are again the standard functions for working with files.

In Windows XP, there are no special differences,

standard functions for working with a file are called by the command Change

I will dwell in more detail on the points “Open with” and “Send”.

Benefits of the "Open with" feature

Here you can select or assign to work with the selected file any installed program, which understands the selected file format. In this case, I clicked on a video file and several programs can work with this format on my computer: Light Allow, WinAmp and of course Windows Media player.

If not on the list desired program, but you know for sure that it is installed, select the menu item "Select program". Windows will prompt you to select programs from a list of recommended or other programs.

In Windows XP, the appearance of this window is slightly different, but the meaning is the same:

If you want the selected file format to always be opened by the program you choose, then check the box "Use the selected program for all files of this type".

If the desired program is not in the list of recommended programs or in others, but you know for sure that the program is installed, then press the button "Overview…" and select it from the folder where the program is installed.

What is the use of the "Submit" function

Using this function, you can send (transfer, transfer) the selected file via BlueTooth (bluetooth), skype, mail, to the desktop, to the archive, to write to a CD / DVD disc, to a USB flash drive etc.

3. Pressing the RIGHT mouse button or the "Context menu" key in any Internet browser.

And here, too, the menu adapts to different situations, depending on where you click on the web page. For example, if you click link, then the following menu will open:

With this menu, you can open the contents of the link in a new tab or window, bookmark the link, send the link, copy the link, if the link is a file, then you can save it with "Save Target As...". If you have download programs installed, you can download the contents of the link with their help.

If you click the RIGHT mouse button or the "Context menu" key by image on web page, then a menu with other functions will open:

Here you can copy the image to the clipboard and paste, for example, into word document, you can save the image to your computer using "Save image as ...", send the image by mail, make the selected image background pattern desktop, find out information about the image (type, size, file name), etc.

Let me summarize. In this lesson, we looked at the most popular options for using the context menu, which is invoked by clicking the RIGHT mouse button or pressing the "Context Menu" key on the keyboard.
Namely:
1. Pressing the RIGHT mouse button or the "Context menu" key on the Windows desktop

2. Pressing the RIGHT mouse button or the "Context Menu" key on a file or folder in Explorer or any other file manager.

3. Pressing the RIGHT mouse button or the "Context menu" key in any Internet browser.

The essence of this lesson is to learn how to use the useful features of the specific active environment of your computer. In any environment, by clicking the RIGHT mouse button or by pressing the "Context menu" key, you will get a list useful features available in this moment time relative to the selected object.

In the process of using the computer, your context menu is "clogged" with various items added by your installed programs. To make matters worse, time delays appear, context menus appear, slow you down and make you wait every time you right-click on a file or folder.

What happens when you right click a file? Are there significant delays in the appearance of the context menu? Then I'll tell you how to get rid of it, or at least reduce the delay. To do this, we need to remove some context menu items to speed up the process. Even if it pops up quickly, you can remove some context elements just to tidy up the menu. Let's look at how you can customize the context menu

Editing with CCleaner

One of the fastest, most simple ways context menu settings is a popular application CCleaner. The context menu editing feature was added to CCleaner relatively recently, so you should have latest version applications to use this feature.

V running program, click on the icon Service in the sidebar, select , and go to the tab Context menu at the top of the list. You will see a list of context menu items you can easily disable and customize the context menu to your liking

To disable an entry in the context menu, select it and click the button Turn off. The change takes effect immediately, and you do not need to restart your computer. Button should not be used. Delete- if you disable an entry in the context menu, you can easily re-enable it later. But if you have already uninstalled, but want to see it in the context menu again, you will have to reinstall the applications associated with it.

On the left picture below is my menu before settings, on the right after. The speed of appearance has increased significantly, which is an integral part of comfortable work.

Customization with ShellExView

CCleaner is easy to use, but you may have noticed that it doesn't show all of the context menu items, and therefore not all of them can be disabled. But fortunately there is another ShellExView tool. After downloading and running ShellExView, it automatically scans the system.

To view only those records that belong to the context menu, select the menu item Settings, select Filter by extension type, and select Context menu.

The list includes both third-party context menu items and built-in ones that come with Windows. Third-party context menu items are highlighted in pink. You can also disable some of the built-in context menu items if you like.

To disable an entry in the context menu, select it and click on the red button in the upper left corner. When you click on the button, a dialog box will appear with confirmation of disabling the selected element, click OK. If you want to turn it on again later, you guessed it, press the green button (although in my opinion this is not a button, but a light bulb))))

You will have to restart your computer for the changes to take effect. It's not as convenient as in CCleaner, but you can control all the context menu items.

It is also possible to remove context menu entries by editing the registry directly, but I wouldn't recommend doing that. Even for advanced users, this process is much more tedious and time consuming (the context menu items are stored in five different places in the registry). When editing the registry, it is not possible to easily disable the entry in the context menu, you can only delete them - so you have to create backups each key before deleting it if you want to restore it later. If there are programs, why complicate your life. But unless you're young System Administrator, or want to poke fun at a friend and crave knowledge, while how to configure the context menu using the registry, read here.