Windows 11 is cleaning up one of the messiest parts of Windows 10

By Arif Bacchus Published July 22, 2021

Windows 11 is still being beta tested by Microsoft, and that means there are tons of improvements on the way for the operating system. One of those improvements involves cleaning up the context menus, which have always been a mess in Windows 10 and older versions of Windows.

More commonly known as the “right-click menu” the context menu in Windows 11 brings many new improvements over the one currently found in Windows 10. The first involves putting common commands for copying and pasting right where the menu is invoked. A second change makes things so that Open and Open with are grouped together when you right-click a file.

The new right-click context menu showing commands in windows 11. — Image used with permission by copyright holder

Third on the list is the ability for programs to “group” their commands so that you can navigate more easily. The image above shows what some of these changes will look like.

Recommended Videos

Microsoft even thought about cloud providers with its new context menu. Cloud file apps now have their own listing in the main context menus, next to the main Windows 11 commands. Other than that, Microsoft added a keyboard shortcut so you can summon the traditional Windows 10 context menu by using Shift+F10.

Now that Microsoft has cleaned things up, you no longer will need to install third-party programs or tweak the registry to make the context menus clearer.

In addition to the new context menus, Microsoft is also tweaking the share dialogue in Windows 11. The new share dialogue makes nearby sharing easier to use, with controls for sharing files with your other computers right upfront. You also can send an email to yourself from within the menu and see even more apps to share with.

These are just some of the changes coming in Windows 11. Microsoft is constantly improving on Windows 11 ahead of a release later this holiday season. It already has tweaked the Start Menu so it’s easier to find your files, improved the look of app preview in the Taskbar, and more.

If you want to see these changes firsthand, you can by signing up for the Windows Insider Program and opting your PC into the Dev Channel branch. Just be aware of bugs, as Windows 11 is still in an early preview state.

Topics

Former Digital Trends Contributor

Arif Bacchus is a native New Yorker and a fan of all things technology. Arif works as a freelance writer at Digital Trends…

Computing

You have one year to safely use Windows 10 before you’ll need to pay

Microsoft will be allowing consumers to join its Extended Security Updates (ESU) program for the first time next year, and it announced the program pricing today in a blog post. The official end-of-service date for Windows 10 is October 14, 2025, but by paying $30 to join the ESU program, you can receive an extra year of security updates. This will allow you to continue safely using Windows 10 until around October 2026, a full two years from now.

By the time support for Windows 10 ends, it will be almost exactly four years since Windows 11 launched and a decade since Windows 10 launched. It takes a lot of work to keep an operating system secure and running smoothly, which is why a company like Microsoft can't just endlessly support every version of Windows it's ever shipped. It would end up costing a lot more money than it made -- and that's not how businesses function.

Computing

Microsoft is forced to halt the Windows 11 24H2 update on some PCs

The Surface Pro 11 on a white table in front of a window.

Microsoft’s recent Windows 11 24H2 update is off to a bumpy start. According to a report by Bleeping Computer, users are facing compatibility issues across various hardware and software configurations, prompting the company to temporarily block the update for some devices.

The affected systems include specific Asus laptop models and configurations involving software like Voicemeeter, Safe Exam Browser, and older versions of Easy Anti-Cheat, commonly used in gaming.

Computing

Windows 11 to let you use your phone as a webcam

Using an Android phone as a webcam.

The Windows 11 update 24H2 includes a new feature called Connected Camera that lets you turn your smartphone into a webcam. The folks at PCWorld have tested the feature out, and it looks pretty easy to use, though you do need to have an Android phone to use it.

Using your phone as a webcam -- either for your desktop or your laptop -- isn't new, but native support for it has been patchy. At first, people had to use third-party apps to do the job. Then Apple users got Continuity Camera, and a few years later Android 14 users got a similar feature, too.