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Windows 11 is getting improved context menus

The redesigned context menus in Windows 11

The redesigned context menus are a controversial part of Windows 11. Although they look nice and provide convenience by moving common file actions closer to the cursor, some people dislike the extra complexity of the "Show more options" button and slower performance. Other people find it confusing that the cut, copy, rename, share, and delete buttons are unlabeled. Windows 11 build 26058, which was recently released for public testing, aims to fix that confusion.

The latest Windows Insider preview build improves the system's context menus by adding labels to the previously unlabeled actions, such as copy, cut, paste, rename, share, and delete. The rest of the context menus remain the same, but they should now be easier to use for those less familiar with how modern computers work.

The old and new context menu in Windows 11

If you plan to upgrade to build 26058, mind the fact that it contains a few known issues, one of which affects the updated context menus. Shortly after the release, Microsoft updated the changelog to mention a bug with the missing Acrylic effect.

Also, you are probably not going to like the new context menu if you use Windows in a language other than English. Items out of alignment, odd text wrapping and truncation, and other wonders of a machine-translated product. However, since the updated menu is in its early preview stage, let us all give Microsoft some time to polish it and fix bugs. Perhaps a future Windows build will make it more friendly to other languages.

The redesigned context menu in Windows 11

It is also worth noting that the latest Windows 11 preview builds break ExplorerPatcher, a popular tool for undoing and tweaking some of the changes Microsoft made in its newest operating system, including taskbar and context menus. If you use this tool, beware of builds 26052 and newer since they break ExplorerPatcher beyond recognition.

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