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.

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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.

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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.

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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…

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