File explorer randomly showing legacy context menu after install build KB5060829

Hello,

Ok, I'm up to august and I've sent feedbacks through the Feedback Hub but i find them to be less attentive, and I've updated to the august patch and they're still the same. no way around it other than going back to 23h2, or using an older version... right click.

Regards, Tam

Hello, tranhongoctam

Welcome to Microsoft Q&A

Thank you for your feedback. I understand that you are experiencing an issue where File Explorer randomly reverts from the modern right-click menu to the old version. Here are some troubleshooting solutions:

1. You can try to see if the same issue occurs in safe mode:

On the Windows login screen, hold down the Shift key and select “Power > Restart.”

After restarting, select “Restart > Startup Settings > Advanced Options Troubleshoot.”

Select option 4 or 5.

2. Use ShellExView to diagnose and disable suspicious extensions

ShellExView is a well-known utility developed by NirSoft. It lists all shell extensions on your system and allows you to safely disable them to troubleshoot issues.

Search online and download ShellExView (it is free). It is recommended to download the 64-bit version.

Extract and run shexview.exe.

The program will list all shell extensions. To facilitate troubleshooting, click the menu bar's “Options” -> “Filter by Extension Type,” then select “Context Menu.”

Now comes the crucial step: click the “Company” column header at the top of the list to sort it, grouping all items developed by “Microsoft Corporation” together.

Hold down the Ctrl key and select all items not developed by “Microsoft Corporation.” These are extensions added by third-party software.

Right-click on the selected items and choose “Disable Selected Items” (or simply click the red button).

Restart your computer.

Next, return to ShellExView and enable one or two extensions at a time, then restart and test until you identify the specific software causing the issue. Once identified, you can choose to uninstall the software or visit its official website to check for an updated version compatible with Windows 11.

3. Force permanent use of the old right-click menu

If you are tired of troubleshooting, or if you prefer the old menu because it has more features, you can permanently disable the new menu by modifying the registry, causing the system to always display the old menu.

Search for “CMD” or “Command Prompt” in the Start menu, right-click and select “Run as administrator.”

Copy and paste the following command, then press Enter:

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

Restart File Explorer or simply restart your computer. After that, your right-click menu will permanently revert to the old style.

How to undo this change and restore the new menu?

If you want to revert back, simply run the following command in the Administrator Command Prompt:

reg.exe delete “HKCU\Software\Classes\CLSID\{86ca1aa0-34aa-4e8b-a509-50c905bae2a2}” /f

I look forward to your feedback.

Best Regards, 

Ami | Microsoft Q&A Support Specialist