Windows 11 File Explorer Gets Faster, Customizable Right-Click Menu With App Extension Controls

Microsoft has introduced a redesigned File Explorer context menu for Windows 11 Insiders, promising faster right-click performance, less clutter, and new controls over built-in commands and third-party app extensions.

The update is part of Microsoft’s wider effort to improve File Explorer’s responsiveness, stability, and day-to-day usability. File Explorer is central to everyday Windows activity, including browsing folders, copying files, renaming documents, and accessing cloud-stored content.

Microsoft said it has focused on reducing freezes, loading delays, visual flashes, and other disruptions that can affect these common workflows.

The company stated that File Explorer now launches faster and behaves more consistently during navigation, file selection, and renaming operations. Microsoft has also addressed dozens of potential stalls that could cause hangs or delays.

While the company did not provide performance benchmarks, it said users should see fewer interruptions when working with files and folders. The redesigned right-click menu is one of the most notable changes.

Context menus have long been a target for performance complaints because installed applications can register extensions that add their own actions. As more software adds entries, the menu can become crowded and may take longer to load.

Microsoft’s updated design reduces the number of default top-level options while keeping frequently used actions accessible. The company said the new menu opens more quickly partly because it performs less work when users right-click a file, folder, or other supported item. Additional options remain available through Settings.

A new “Customize menu” option appears at the bottom of the context menu. Selecting it opens a dedicated Context Menu page under the Personalization section of the Settings app. From there, users can control which Windows commands and application extensions appear in the menu.

The first customization area allows users to turn on or off built-in Windows commands such as Send to and Create shortcut. Microsoft also noted that Print, which was previously unavailable in the Windows 11 context menu, can now be added via the new controls.

Another section focuses on app extensibility. Users can choose whether specific application extensions appear in the main context menu or within a submenu. They can also hide the app-extension submenu entirely, which may help users who want a cleaner and potentially faster interface.

Microsoft is also addressing Windows 10-era interaction habits. Users can display standard commands such as Cut, Copy, Paste, Rename, Delete, and Share as text entries rather than the compact icon row used in Windows 11. The Properties option can also be moved to the bottom of the menu.

Beyond the context-menu changes, File Explorer now supports more address-bar input formats, including paths with quotation marks and double backslashes. Middle-click support for opening folders in new tabs has expanded to the Address Bar and Home page folders.

File sizes now use clearer units such as KB, MB, and GB. At the same time, the Details pane has been reorganized to make file properties easier to access.

The changes are currently rolling out to Windows Insiders. Microsoft said it will continue refining File Explorer based on Insider feedback before broader availability.

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