Here’s how the specific command is assembled, step by step.
reg add HKCU\software\classes\clsid\86ca1aa0-34aa-4e8b-a509-50c905bae2a2\inprocserver32 /ve /d "C:\Path\To\Legitimate.dll" /f
Windows 11 introduced a significant overhaul to the user interface, with one of the most polarizing changes being the new, streamlined context menu (the menu that appears when you right-click a file or folder). While designed to be cleaner, it hides many traditional options behind a "Show more options" button.
: reg add "HKCU\Software\Classes\CLSID\86ca1aa0-34aa-4e8b-a509-50c905bae2a2\InprocServer32" /f /ve Here’s how the specific command is assembled, step by step
Your desktop will briefly disappear and reload. Once it returns, right-click any file or folder to view the fully expanded classic menu. Why This Tweak Works
If you ever want to revert to the default Windows 11 design, you can delete the custom registry key you created. Open Command Prompt as an administrator.
This tells Windows to use the legacy COM object for the context menu instead of the modern immersive one. Command Components Open Command Prompt as an administrator
: The Windows command to add a new subkey or entry to the registry.
: It disables the modern, simplified Windows 11 context menu and brings back the full Windows 10-style right-click menu by default.
Instead of restarting your whole computer, you can restart the Windows shell to see the changes immediately: Open ( Ctrl + Shift + Esc ). Go to the Details tab. Find explorer.exe , right-click it, and select End Task . : It disables the modern
This specific combination forces Windows Explorer to revert to the legacy context menu interface. How to Apply the Tweak (2026 Updated Method)
or restart your computer for the changes to take effect.
How to Restore the Classic Windows 11 Context Menu Using reg add (86ca1aa0)
reg query "HKCU\Software\Classes\CLSID\86ca1aa0-34aa-4e8b-a509-50c905bae2a2\InprocServer32" /ve
CLSID stands for Class ID, which is a unique identifier for a COM (Component Object Model) class. COM is a binary standard for creating reusable software components that can interact with each other. CLSIDs are used to identify and register these components.