Windows 11 users can now configure their right-click context menu to determine which application extensions are displayed when interacting with files. Microsoft is deploying this functionality gradually through the optional update KB5127936, released in October. Consequently, the feature may not be immediately visible upon installation for all users.
To access the new settings, users should first navigate to Settings > Windows Update and check for updates. If KB5127936 does not appear, enabling the option to receive the latest updates as soon as they are available is recommended. After installing the update and restarting the PC, users can verify their build version by running the "winver" command; the system should be on Build 26200.9818 or 26300.9818.
Once updated, right-clicking any file in File Explorer should reveal an "Customize menu" entry at the bottom if the feature is active. If this option is missing, users can manually enable it using the free open-source tool ViVeTool. The utility must be downloaded from its official GitHub page and extracted so that the "ViVeTool.exe" file resides in the "C:\ViVeTool" directory.
Activation requires running two specific commands in an Administrator Terminal. Users should navigate to the installation folder by typing "cd C:\ViVeTool" and then execute "vivetool /enable /id:60813048". Upon seeing the message "Successfully set feature configuration(s)", a system restart is necessary before the new menu options become available.
The updated interface includes a "Customize menu" button leading to Personalization > Context Menu settings. Microsoft states that no further action is required for the standard configuration, though users preferring the legacy Windows 10 style can still access it by holding the Shift key while right-clicking. This update addresses previous clutter; reports indicate that right-clicking an image file previously displayed up to 25 entries, whereas the new streamlined default menu reduces this to just eight options.
Sources: t3n.