By Zac Bowden
Publication Date: 2026-08-17 22:06:00
Microsoft has today announced a set of major improvements coming to the context menus that appear in File Explorer and the desktop on Windows 11 that are designed to make the right-click experience faster, less cluttered, and more customizable.
I first revealed Microsoft’s plans to overhaul the context-menu system on Windows 11 last month, and now the company has confirmed those plans. In fact, it’s already rolling out preview builds with the new context menu system in place, ready for Windows Insiders to begin testing and provide feedback on.
Microsoft says that it knows the context menu system on Windows 11 today is not in a good place. “The menu became cluttered and sluggish, and we recognized the need to dramatically reduce the time between right-clicking and having a menu that’s fully ready to use,” says Microsoft engineer Michael Novak in a blog post published today.
“Today, we’re excited to announce an updated context menu that delivers a faster, simpler, and more…
