How to Disable “Show More Options” and Restore the Classic Context Menu in Windows 11

Windows 11 offers a modern UI design that helps streamline navigation. One aspect is the “Show more options” context menu item, which creates tighter right-click shortcuts. But this simplified look can also hinder advanced users and make automated workflows less efficient.

Tailor context menu design to optimize productivity. This article explains how to configure Windows 11 to always display the classic context menu by default using a registry-based workaround.

📌 Recommended deployment strategies:

How to disable the “Show more options” context menu item

Bringing back the Windows 11 old context menu on one or multiple workstations will require the proper equipment and the right permissions. Before disabling the context menu item, consider your technical constraints.

📌 Prerequisites:

• Administrative privileges to modify the local registry and Active Directory Group Policy Objects (GPOs).
• Test device running the same Windows 11 build as target systems
• Ability to restart File Explorer or log off after applying changes

Method 1: Preview the classic menu without changes

Firstly, check to see if the old context menu suits your needs. This test doesn’t require admin rights and helps your team confirm whether a workflow truly needs an expanded option list.

To do this:

• Hold Shift and right-click on your desktop, or
• Select an item and press Shift + F10

Method 2: Restore the classic context menu via the registry editor

If you always want to show more options in the context menu, create a specific registry entry that prevents the modern context menu from loading, forcing Explorer to fall back to the classic menu.

📌 Use Cases: Enforcing the Windows 11 classic context menu.

📌 Prerequisites: Administrative privileges.

1. Press Win + R, type regedit, and press Ctrl + Shift + Enter.
2. Navigate to: HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Classes\CLSID
3. Right-click on CLSID and select New > Key.
4. Name the new key {86ca1aa0-34aa-4e8b-a509-50c905bae2a2}.
5. Right-click on {86ca1aa0-34aa-4e8b-a509-50c905bae2a2} and select New > Key.
6. Name it InprocServer32.
7. Select InprocServer32, double-click (Default), leave the value empty, and click OK.
8. Close Registry Editor.
9. Restart File Explorer:
10. Press Ctrl + Shift + Esc, find Windows Explorer, and click Restart.
11. 1. OR sign out and back in.

Method 3: Use a .reg file for one-click setup

To simplify registry changes, store your changes in a script, save it as a REG file, and deploy it to one or multiple workstations. This straightforward method helps prevent human errors and helps restore the classic context menu behavior on supported Windows 11 builds.

📌 Use Cases: Reverting the Windows 11 context menu on one/multiple devices.

📌 Prerequisites: Administrative privileges.

1. Press Win + S, type Notepad, and press Enter.
2. Paste the following script:

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00 [HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Classes\CLSID\{86ca1aa0-34aa-4e8b-a509-50c905bae2a2}\InprocServer32] @=””

3. Name the file appropriately (e.g., RevertContextMenu) and save it with the .reg extension.
4. Execute the file to merge the changes to the workstation’s registry.
5. Restart File Explorer or reboot the machine.
6. Streamline this task with dedicated automation policies that offer full visibility.

Method 4: Apply via PowerShell script

PowerShell’s versatile command-line shell can automate registry edits with a few lines of code, making it ideal for IT teams that want to deploy quick changes at scale with native tools.

📌 Use Cases: Apply the registry-based workaround to restore the classic context menu on one or multiple devices.

📌 Prerequisites: Administrative privileges, PowerShell 5.1.

1. Press Win + R, type powershell, and press Ctrl + Shift + Enter.
2. Paste this script:

$base = "HKCU:\Software\Classes\CLSID\{86ca1aa0-34aa-4e8b-a509-50c905bae2a2}\InprocServer32"

New-Item -Path $base -Force | Out-Null

New-ItemProperty -Path $base -Name "(default)" -Value "" -PropertyType String -Force | Out-Null$

Stop-Process -Name explorer -Force

3. Press Enter.
4. Test your context menu to verify changes.

Method 5: Deploy with Group Policy Preferences (for MSPs or enterprises)

Using Group Policy Preferences allows centralized deployment of registry changes across enterprise environments.

📌 Use Cases: Centrally deploying the registry-based workaround to restore the classic context menu for users.

📌 Prerequisites: Administrative privileges, Windows 11 Pro or Enterprise.

1. Press Win + R, type gpmc.msc, and press Ctrl + Shift + Enter.
   Right-click the target Domain, OU, or Site and select “Link an Existing GPO”, then choose the newly created GPO.
2. Right-click the target GPO and select Edit to open the Group Policy Management Editor.
3. Navigate to: User Configuration > Preferences > Windows Settings > Registry.
4. Create a New Registry Item with the following details:
5. 1. Hive: HKEY_CURRENT_USER
   2. Key Path: Software\Classes\CLSID\{86ca1aa0-34aa-4e8b-a509-50c905bae2a2}\InprocServer32
   3. Value Name: (Default)
   4. Type: REG_SZ
   5. Data: (leave blank)
6. Press Apply, then OK.
7. Run gpupdate /force on client machines to force a policy update.

Method 6: Roll back and restore the modern context menu.

You can run a simple script on the Command Prompt to delete the default Windows 11 context menu’s registry object entirely.

📌 Use Cases: Removing the registry workaround to restore the default Windows 11 context menu.

📌 Prerequisites: Administrative privileges.

1. Open Command Prompt (Admin).
2. Paste: reg delete “HKCU\Software\Classes\CLSID\{86ca1aa0-34aa-4e8b-a509-50c905bae2a2}” /f
3. Restart File Explorer or reboot the machine.

Method 7: Post-deployment validation after Windows updates

Lastly, set up a regular cadence for checking context menu behavior. Windows updates may change Explorer behavior, causing this registry-based workaround to stop working even if the registry key remains present. This means that your schedule needs to align with the manufacturer’s patch releases.

Regularly check if your changes still persist, and if not, reapply the method that worked for you.

Best practices for managing the “Show more options” context menu

Caution is necessary when modifying low-level settings, such as registry settings. Keep the following in mind when you restore the classic context menu in Windows 11:

NinjaOne integration

Having a centralized dashboard lets you manage policies and automate registry changes from one place. Here’s how NinjaOne streamlines the process:

Enforce the Windows 11 classic context menu with centralized control

Internal workflows can be easier with features from previous Windows versions, and IT leads should always be in control of their interface. By validating context menu usefulness, changing registry values, and/or deploying registry-based configurations, sysadmins can enjoy the usefulness of old menus without major risk.

Related topics:

• How to Add or Remove Default New Context Menu Items in Windows 10
• How to Add “Take Ownership” to the Context Menu in Windows
• How to Add or Remove “Open in Windows Terminal” Expandable Context Menu in Windows 10
• How to Add or Remove “Pin to Start” from the Context Menu in Windows 11
• How to Add or Remove ‘Install CAB’ Context Menu in Windows 10