How do I disable the Windows 11 context menu on my computer?

How do I disable the Windows 11 context menu on my computer?
I’ve recently upgraded to Windows 11 and noticed that the context menu looks quite different from what I’m used to in previous versions. The new design and arrangement of options are not really suiting my workflow, and it’s somewhat frustrating to get accustomed to this change. The modern context menu seems less intuitive and often requires more clicks to get to the functions I frequently use. I’ve been trying to figure out how to disable the Windows 11 context menu to revert to the classic or more familiar context menu style. Can someone explain why the context menu has changed and what steps are involved in disabling this new context menu on Windows 11?
4 Answers

To disable the Windows 11 context menu and bring back the old-style context menu, you’ll need to modify some settings using the Registry Editor. Here’s how you can do it:
- Press
Win + R
to open the Run dialog box. Typeregedit
and press Enter. - Navigate to the following path:
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Classes\CLSID
. - Create a new key (folder) under
CLSID
by right-clicking onCLSID
, selectingNew
->Key
, and name it{86ca1aa0-34aa-4e8b-a509-50c905bae2a2}
. - Inside this new key, create another key by right-clicking on the right pane, selecting
New
->Key
, and name itInprocServer32
. - Double-click the new
(Default)
entry inInprocServer32
and make sure the value data is empty. Click OK to save. - Close the Registry Editor and restart your computer.
This should revert the context menu back to the classic style found in earlier versions of Windows.

I totally get it – the new Windows 11 context menu can be less user-friendly if you’re used to the traditional setup. Here’s a simple way to disable it with some quick registry edits:
- Open the
Start
menu, typeregedit
, and press Enter. - In the Registry Editor, navigate to
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion
. - In this location, you might need to create some new keys. Follow the path step by step, creating new keys named
Explorer
,Advanced
,Class Ratings
, and finallyOverrides
. - Now, under Overrides, create new keys named
4
, then586118283
. - Under this new key, create two new DWORD (32-bit) Values:
EnabledState
andEnabledStateOptions
, setting both to1
. - Exit the Registry Editor and reboot your system.
This should hopefully bring back a more classic context menu that you find easier to work with.

Disabling the Windows 11 context menu can be a bit tricky, but it’s manageable with the right steps. Here’s a method that has worked for many users:
- Open
Run
by pressingWin + R
. Typeregedit
and press Enter to open the Registry Editor. - Navigate to
Computer\HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Shell Extensions
. - First, make a backup of this registry location by right-clicking on
Shell Extensions
and selecting Export. Save this backup somewhere safe. - Then, create a new key named
Blocked
underShell Extensions
. - Within the
Blocked
key, create a newString Value
named{C2FBB630-2971-11D1-A18C-00C04FD75D13}
. - Exit the Registry Editor and restart your computer.
This change effectively blocks the new context menu, reverting it back to the style more commonly found in previous versions of Windows. This makes navigating your files and right-clicking a consistent experience with earlier habits.

Disabling the Windows 11 context menu requires some technical tweaking, often through the system’s registry. Here’s a straightforward guide:
- Launch the
Registry Editor
by pressingWin + R
, then typingregedit
, and hitting Enter. - Drill down to:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\FeatureManagement\Overrides\4
. - Create a new key here by right-clicking, selecting
New
->Key
, and call it586118283
. - Create a new
DWORD (32-bit) Value
. Name itEnabledState
and set its value to1
. - Do the same for another new
DWORD (32-bit) Value
namedEnabledStateOptions
and set its value to1
as well. - Close the editor and restart your PC.
These steps should help revert the context menu back to a more familiar format.