Why my Windows 11 shell extension works for files, but not for folders on connected phone?

David Izada Rodriguez 41 Reputation points
2023-01-25T17:58:52.8566667+00:00

I created a shell extension implementing IExplorerCommand to comply with Windows 11 requirements for showing it on the top-level context menu.

The shell extension accepts any file ('*'), folder (Directory), and folder open in Explorer (Directory\Background).

As a result, I can activate my context menu by right-clicking on files, folders, the Explorer background, folders on the left tree, the desktop, mapped drives, and on files on attached devices (like my smartphone).

Most of the time, I can get the selected item's full path using "IShellItem.GetDisplayName", except for the files on the attached device. There it is more complicated, starting with Desktop\This PC<my phone name>\Internal storage\folder1...\filename.

But when I right-click on a phone's folder, I don't receive any call from File Explorer.

Even more strange, if I install the old extension implementing IContextMenu, that extension appears, like using the old context menu (on Show More Options).

Is Windows 11 still using the old Context Menu on the attached devices?

How can I use my new extension in this case?

Windows 11
Windows 11
A Microsoft operating system designed for productivity, creativity, and ease of use.
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  1. Limitless Technology 43,931 Reputation points
    2023-01-26T17:11:57.6166667+00:00

    Hi. Thank you for your question and reaching out. I’d be more than happy to help you with your query.

    If a Windows 11 shell extension is working for files but not for folders on a connected phone, it could indicate an issue with the way the extension is handling the folder structure. Some possible causes could include:

    -The extension is not designed to work with folders on connected phones.

    -The extension is not compatible with the version of Windows 11 running on the connected phone.

    -There is a bug in the extension that is causing it to fail when handling folders.

    To troubleshoot the issue, you can try the following steps:

    1. Check if the extension is compatible with the version of Windows 11 running on the phone.
    2. Check if the extension have any updates available.
    3. Try uninstalling and reinstalling the extension and see if that resolves the issue.
    4. Check if the issue persists with other third party shell extensions
    5. Check event viewer logs and see if there's any related error.

    If the reply was helpful, please don’t forget to upvote or accept as answer, thank you.