Restore the classic context menu in Windows 11

You’ve probably installed Windows 11 for the first time or installed it on another computer, and one of the first surprises you encountered is that the classic Windows context menu has changed. But don’t worry; if you keep reading, you’ll learn how to restore the classic Windows context menu, the Windows 10 menu we were used to.

To do this, just follow the steps in this simple tutorial. You can do it in three ways:

1. Add the information to the registry via CMD with a specific command that will be added to the Windows registry automatically once you run the file.
2. Manually, by navigating through the registry folders and creating a new key. It’s not complicated.
3. Using third-party software, a free and portable tool called Windows 11 Classic Context Menu.

Add the information to the registry using a file via Command Prompt (CMD)

The quickest method to revert to the classic Windows context menu without using third-party software is by adding information to the Windows registry via a command that we will execute in the Command Prompt window.

To open the Command Prompt, click the magnifying glass icon in the bottom left corner of the screen and type "CMD". When the corresponding icon appears, click on it.

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In the Command Prompt window, we need to insert this command and press the Enter key:

reg add "HKCU\Software\Classes\CLSID\{86ca1aa0-34aa-4e8b-a509-50c905bae2a2}\InprocServer32" /ve /f

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After this, a message will appear saying "The operation completed successfully."

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Finally, enter this command to restart Windows Explorer.

taskkill /f /im explorer.exe & start explorer.exe

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To check if it worked, just right-click on an empty area of the desktop.

Manual modification

Manually modifying the Windows Registry is a task reserved for more advanced users, who have the necessary knowledge and experience to make system changes without taking risks. However, if you’re careful and create a backup of the registry before making changes, there’s nothing to worry about.

To start, we will use the "Windows + R" key combination to open the Run window. In the text box, type regedit and press Enter or select OK.

Before proceeding with any changes to the Registry, as mentioned above, it’s crucial to create a backup of the registry as a precaution. Incorrect changes could cause system problems. It’s not necessary to export the entire registry, as this task can be slow; in this case, it would be enough to export the information from the Software folder. To do this, select the folder and at the top click File -> Export... write a name for the file and save it.

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Still in the Registry Editor, navigate to the following location:

HKEY_CURRENT_USER / Software / Classes / CLSID

Right-click on the CLSID key and select "New" followed by "Key". This will create a new key within CLSID, which you should name {86ca1aa0-34aa-4e8b-a509-50c905bae2a2}.

Next, right-click on the {86ca1aa0-34aa-4e8b-a509-50c905bae2a2} key, choose "New" again, and then "Key", creating a new key inside it. This key should be named InprocServer32.

Now just close the Registry Editor and restart the computer to apply the changes. After restarting, you’ll have the classic Windows 10 context menu again.

If in the future you want to revert to the original Windows 11 context menu, simply open the Registry and delete the {86ca1aa0-34aa-4e8b-a509-50c905bae2a2} key.

Using the Windows 11 Classic Context Menu software

An easy way to restore the classic context menu in Windows 11 is by using third-party software. This portable and free software allows you to make the change with just one click of the mouse, quickly and easily, without needing to modify the Registry through other methods.
You can download it from the lower section of the developer’s website.

The application has a Spanish interface, very simple and easy to use. It only presents two options:

• Enable the classic context menu style
• Activate the default context menu style.

By selecting the first option, the Windows 10 context menu will be available again. If you prefer to return to the default Windows 11 context menu, simply select the second option.

To apply the changes, just click on the "Restart Explorer" button.