Windows 11 🤬

[Deleted]

Who’s the bright spark at Microsoft who decided that in Windows 11, if I want to copy and paste a file—something I do constantly—I now have to click “Show more options”? Yet if I want to change the view (which I almost never do), or Sort by (a once-in-a-blue-moon activity), those options are proudly front and centre. And Group by too—because clearly everyone is constantly organising their files by author, rating, or lunar alignment.

So instead of speeding things up, some UX mastermind has buried the most-used actions behind an extra click—a literal “do more to do less” strategy —while cluttering the main menu with features nobody asked for. It honestly feels like the interface was designed by a committee of sales and marketing interns who’ve never had to use a PC for real work.

 

[Isaac]

Yeah you need the registry edit which you can run from the command line or else to install and run the executable from explorer patcher. That will solve that stupid problem that Microsoft created.

 

[Isaac]

I don't have a handy but it's readily available on the web

 

[Uncle Gizmo]

What the Fu#k !!! To use "copy" and then "paste" you have to enter the second screen "show more options" twice !!! once to copy and then again to paste it is ludicrous....

 

[AccessBlaster]

I think Microsoft's rational for making those menu items obsolete is because most users use ctrl+c and ctrl+v rather than using the right click menu.

 

[Uncle Gizmo]

restore_classic_context_menu.py - this script is no longer required because if you follow the instructions here:-

Windows 11 🤬

Who's the bright genius at Microsoft who decided that in Windows 11, if I want to copy and paste a file — something I do constantly — I now have to click “Show more options”? But hey, if I want to change the view (which I rarely do, unless Windows decides to helpfully change it without asking...

www.access-programmers.co.uk

Windows 11 sorts out the shortcuts for you

 

[Edgar_]

I used WinSetView for the issue of having all my folders Group By Modified Date as default. The rest of the annoying defaults can be modified in other ways.

 

[KitaYama]

I used WinSetView for the issue of having all my folders Group By Modified Date as default.

You could open Explorer, set a folder with any kind of sort and view you want, open option, tab view and click "Apply To Folders".
The default view for all folders would change to what you've selected.


I don't even remember when was the last time I right clicked a file to copy/paste. Even in previous versions of Windows, you have to right click and select copy, again right click and select paste. This is four steps.
I (and most of those who I know), use ctrl+c & ctrl+v. It's only two steps.
Or at times, ctrl+drag (copy) or shift+drag (move).
During the last few years, I don't even use these methods. I've set copy and paste to my mouse middle button. It's much simpler.

Somehow, I even appreciate they moved some of items to another level of menu to make the context menu slim.
I think it all goes to the different methods we use.
But I understand your and others frustrations for the change of context menu.

 

[Edgar_]

You could open Explorer, set a folder with any kind of sort and view you want, open option, tab view and click "Apply To Folders".
The default view for all folders would change to what you've selected.

Yes, it was possible at some point. But after some update ALL of my folders had group by modified enabled by default and setting the group by none to all folders would not persist. The folders would go back to that grouping option again on their own.

 

[JonXL]

Sounds like they made functions that aren't easily accessed through keyboard shortcuts more prominent and kept the menu clean by tucking away the ones most folks activate through keyboard shortcuts.

Not necessarily a bad decision. But when they make these changes to long-standing layouts, they do need easy ways to set it back. Even when I like a change, I disagree with the idea of pulling the rug out from under everyone who's become dependent on certain ways of things working...

 

[The_Doc_Man]

I don't know (don't remember) if it is a setting, but on my Win11, when I right-click on something, I get the text menu but below that menu, I ALSO get little "mini-icons" for cut, paste, copy, delete... strictly a one-handed operation, no keyboard involved. The whole right-click menu is in red. The icon part is in blue, although both color boxes were edited in for highlighting purposes. They actually have no border when "the real thing" occurs. As an addendum, that screen-shot was taken with nothing on the clipboard, but "paste" will also show up when there IS something to paste.

 

[AccessBlaster]

I use Chris Titus WinUtil to reset the classic menu along with other tweaks like debloat etc. Mine is still free, but I think he charges for new downloads.

My right click looks like this

 

[Uncle Gizmo]

I disagree with the idea of pulling the rug out from under everyone who's become dependent on certain ways of things working...

Spot On!!!!

 

[KitaYama]

My right hand is on the mouse as I am scrolling, Why force me to involve my left hand to use the keyboard?

Nobody forces you. It was an option I suggested.
But out of curiosity, what's your left hand doing?

In my profession, everything's based on speed. There are also international competitions. We're given the same tasks and are timed to see who is faster. You win, you get the job. You loose, you wait to see if someone picks you up as an asssitant. So for me, if during a task I need to copy and paste 100 objects, I can not let my left hand hold a cup of coffee. I have to use it.

 

[Uncle Gizmo]

I suppose that moving your right hand off the mouse to complete the ctl-alt-del seq, makes some sort of sense.

I do use control A control C control V --- all the time when I am coding with Visual Studio code ... however it would never occur to me to use it in File Explorer ?? I don't know why really

 

[Uncle Gizmo]

UPDATE!!!
To make Chrome your default browser in Windows 11 open settings (Win + I) navigate to apps >>> default apps, and then select Google Chrome under web browser. From there you can click on "set default" to finalise the change ensuring that Chrome opens for web links and file types....

 

[Isaac]

You could open Explorer, set a folder with any kind of sort and view you want, open option, tab view and click "Apply To Folders".
The default view for all folders would change to what you've selected.


I don't even remember when was the last time I right clicked a file to copy/paste. Even in previous versions of Windows, you have to right click and select copy, again right click and select paste. This is four steps.
I (and most of those who I know), use ctrl+c & ctrl+v. It's only two steps.
Or at times, ctrl+drag (copy) or shift+drag (move).
During the last few years, I don't even use these methods. I've set copy and paste to my mouse middle button. It's much simpler.

Somehow, I even appreciate they moved some of items to another level of menu to make the context menu slim.
I think it all goes to the different methods we use.
But I understand your and others frustrations for the change of context menu.

I also use Ctrl c and control v, but still for something so popular I think it's a bit ridiculous for them to hide it. There could be reasons why people aren't using the keyboard shortcuts at any given moment such as being on the laptop or an unfamiliar keyboard.

Plus didn't most of the New options disappear too? Can't do that on the keyboard very easily.

 

[KitaYama]

If you are a Google Chrome internet browser user, do not upgrade to Windows 11! Windows 11 blocks every attempt to use Google Chrome. There are some programs you can run that are supposed to prevent this, but they don't work perfectly. I copied my folders from my old PC to my new PC, and in those folders I have numerous links that are automatically converted from Chrome links into Microsoft Edge links. I have a script that turns them back, but it's not convenient—although I'm working on that!

@Uncle Gizmo I've never heard anyone having this problem.
Consider changing your default app to Chrome.
Press start key on your keyboard, type "Default apps" and select the item that is shown as result.
Type "Chrome" in search box under "Set defaults for applications" (Note: It's the second search box from top. Don't mix it with the first one)
When chrome is shown as search result, click it.
In the next screen, set all file types as chrome.

If you also have short cuts to different pages that need to be opened in Chrome, you have to change default app for ".url" file type too.

Hope it helps.