How do you bring back the old right-click menu in Windows 11?
One Registry key swaps Windows 11's trimmed context menu for the full Windows 10 layout.
Short answer
Open regedit with Win + R, then under HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Classes\CLSID create a new key named {86CA1AA0-34AA-4E8B-A509-50C905BAE2A2} and inside it a key named InprocServer32. Leave the (Default) value of InprocServer32 empty, save, and restart the PC. The right-click menu returns to the Windows 10 layout.
What you need
Step by step
Back up the Registry
Press Win + R, type regedit and hit Enter. Select the Computer row in the left pane, go to File > Export and save the file to your desktop. If anything goes wrong, double-clicking that file puts the Registry back the way it was.
Open the CLSID key
In the left pane of Registry Editor, expand HKEY_CURRENT_USER > Software > Classes > CLSID. Typing Computer\HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Classes\CLSID into the address bar and pressing Enter gets you to the same place faster.
Create the new key
Right-click CLSID, choose New > Key and name it {86CA1AA0-34AA-4E8B-A509-50C905BAE2A2}, curly braces included. Copy and paste the name instead of typing it, because a single wrong character stops the tweak from working.
Add the InprocServer32 subkey
Right-click the key you just made, choose New > Key again and name it InprocServer32. This subkey is what keeps Windows from loading the new context menu component.
Leave (Default) empty
With InprocServer32 selected, double-click the (Default) row in the right pane. Clear the Value data field completely and click OK. The row should show an empty value rather than "(value not set)".
Restart the computer
Close Registry Editor and reboot. After sign-in, right-clicking the desktop shows the long Windows 10 menu. Restarting only Explorer from Task Manager is usually enough as well.
Undo it if you want
To go back to the new menu, right-click the {86CA1AA0-34AA-4E8B-A509-50C905BAE2A2} key you created, choose Delete and restart. Since you are removing a single key, the change is fully reversible.
Tips
Watch out
Deleting or editing the wrong key in the Registry can leave Windows unable to boot. Export a backup before you start, touch only the path listed here, and paste the key name instead of typing it. On work devices, IT policies may block the change entirely.
Frequently asked questions
+Does this change survive Windows updates?
Major feature updates such as 23H2 or 24H2 can render the key ineffective. If the menu reverts, apply the steps again; if that fails, switch to a tool like ExplorerPatcher.
+The menu did not change. What now?
Check the key name character by character first, since missing curly braces is the most common mistake. Then restart Windows Explorer from Task Manager or reboot the machine.
+Does editing the Registry void my warranty?
No, it has nothing to do with hardware warranty. A broken Windows install may fall outside software support though, which is why the backup matters.
+Is there an easier way to see the long menu just once?
Yes. Select the file and press Shift + F10, or click "Show more options" at the bottom of the right-click menu. No Registry editing needed.
Sources and verification
Last verified: 13 Eylül 2026. tell us. Menu labels reflect the English Windows 11 interface.
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