Microsoft began pushing out KB5127936 on Wednesday, an optional, non-security update for Windows 11 that finally does something about the right-click menu everyone complains about.
In its own words, Microsoft says the update "introduces an updated context menu that is faster, simpler, and more customizable." The company says the menu now opens more quickly, cuts down on clutter, and gives people more say over which commands and app extensions show up when they right-click a file or folder.
The redesign is part of an effort Microsoft calls Windows K2, an internal push aimed at fixing core parts of the operating system that have annoyed users for years rather than adding flashy new features. Context menus have been a sore point since Windows 11 launched: they load slowly, bury common actions behind a "Show more options" click, and clutter the list with entries from third-party apps nobody asked for.
With KB5127936 installed, users get more control over that clutter. Microsoft's changelog lists new customization options, including the ability to turn off individual apps from appearing in the menu at all. People who never made the jump from Windows 10, or who switched back out of frustration, should notice one change in particular: the update restores cut, copy and paste as a vertical list of options rather than the row of icons across the top that Windows 11 introduced.
The update isn't limited to context menus. KB5127936 also rolls out a new Xbox task view interface, along with changes to File Explorer and the Windows Settings app. Microsoft hasn't detailed every change in a single place, pointing users instead to its full changelog for specifics.
As with most optional updates, the rollout is staggered. Installing KB5127936 doesn't guarantee the new context menu shows up immediately. People who want it sooner need to turn on the "Get the latest updates as soon as they're available" toggle in Windows Settings, though even then Microsoft says there's still a wait before the features appear on a given machine.
The update is available now through Windows Update for anyone running Windows 11 and willing to install an optional, non-security patch ahead of its wider release. Microsoft typically folds these optional updates into the next scheduled Patch Tuesday release, so a broader rollout to everyone else should follow in the coming weeks. For now, the fix for Windows 11's slowest, most cluttered menu is quietly making its way to machines one optional update at a time.
CDFiled by The Computing Desk
Laptops, desktops, processors, graphics cards and the operating systems that run on them.
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