Windows 11 Right-Click Menu Overhaul Will Make It Faster and Customizable

Windows 11 right-click menus could soon become faster, cleaner, and easier to customize. Microsoft is developing a compact design that limits unnecessary entries when the menu first opens.

Microsoft plans a major context menu redesign

Microsoft recently introduced a redesigned Properties window with dark mode and confirmed plans for more WinUI 3 upgrades across Windows 11.

The company is now working on a broader redesign of Windows 11’s right-click menus. The overhaul will focus on performance, reliability, organization, and customization.

According to Windows Central, Microsoft demonstrated a working version of the new context menu during a Windows Insider event in London.

Current context menus can become slow and cluttered

Windows 11 context menus can become difficult to use after several applications add their own actions. Users with dozens of installed apps may need to scroll through a long list to find basic commands.

Third-party extensions can also delay the menu when users right-click a file, folder, or desktop area. Microsoft wants to address both problems by changing how external menu entries load.

The compact menu will prioritize common actions

The redesigned context menu will initially display common Windows commands and frequently used actions.

Third-party application entries will not load immediately when the user right-clicks. This approach should reduce visual clutter and allow the menu to appear faster.

Users will still have access to app-specific commands, but Windows will organize them in a way that does not slow down the primary menu.

A Customize option will give users more control

Microsoft plans to add a Customize option at the bottom of the right-click menu.

Users will reportedly be able to show or hide individual applications and actions, rearrange context menu entries, and prioritize the commands they use most often. This would give people more control over how the right-click menu is organized and help streamline everyday workflows.

They will also be able to remove unnecessary items from the main menu, reducing clutter and making the context menu easier to navigate.

These controls should make the menu more practical for users who install applications that add several file-management commands.

Microsoft could release the redesign in 2026

Microsoft has not announced an official release date for the updated context menu.

However, the version demonstrated at the Windows Insider event appeared functional and relatively polished. Microsoft could formally announce the feature soon and reportedly aims to release it before the end of 2026.

The company will likely test the redesign with Windows Insiders before making it available to all Windows 11 users.