Personalization Add or Remove "Copy as path" Context Menu in Windows 11


Copy_as_path_banner.png

This tutorial will show how to add or remove the "Copy as path" context menu and "Copy path" from the File Explorer command bar menu for your account or all users in Windows 11.

Copy path or Copy as path will copy the full path of selected items (files and folders) wrapped in quotes to the Clipboard so you can paste (Ctrl+V) the full path(s) of the item(s) where you like.



Contents

  • Option One: Add or Remove "Copy as path" Context Menu for Current User in Settings
  • Option Two: Add or Remove "Copy as path" Context Menu for Current User using REG file
  • Option Three: Add or Remove "Copy as path" Context Menu for All Users using REG file



EXAMPLE: "Copy as path" and "Copy path" context menu

Copy_as_path_modern_context_menu.webp
Copy_as_path_context_menu-2.png
Copy_as_path_File_Explorer_command_bar_menu.png




Option One

Add or Remove "Copy as path" Context Menu for Current User in Settings


This option is only available starting with Windows 11 build 26340.9212 (Experimental 26H2) for Insiders.

This option only affects the modern context menu.


1 Open Settings (Win+I).

2 Click/tap on Personalization in the left pane, and click/tap on Context menu. (see screenshot below)


Context_menu_Settings-1.webp

3 Under File actions, turn On (add - default) or Off (remove) Copy as path for what you want. (see screenshot below)

Context_menu_Settings-2.webp

4 You can now close Settings if you like.




Option Two

Add or Remove "Copy path" Context Menu for Current User using REG file


This option is only available starting with Windows 11 build 26340.9212 (Experimental 26H2) for Insiders.

This option only affects the modern context menu.


1 Do step 2 (add) or step 3 (remove) below for what you want.


 2. Add "Copy path" Context Menu for Current User

This is the default setting.


A) Click/tap on the Download button below to download the REG file below, and go to step 4 below.​

Add_Copy_as_path_context_menu_for_current_user.reg


(Contents of REG file for reference)
Code:
Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\ContextMenu\Preferences\verbs\copyaspath]
"Enabled"=dword:00000001


 3. Remove "Copy path" Context Menu for Current User

A) Click/tap on the Download button below to download the REG file below, and go to step 4 below.​

Remove_Copy_as_path_context_menu_for_current_user.reg


(Contents of REG file for reference)
Code:
Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\ContextMenu\Preferences\verbs\copyaspath]
"Enabled"=dword:00000000

4 Save the .reg file to your desktop.

5 If you have Smart App Control turned on, you will need to unblock the downloaded REG file.

6 Double click/tap on the downloaded .reg file to merge it.

7 When prompted, click/tap on Run, Yes (UAC), Yes, and OK to approve the merge.

8 You can now delete the downloaded .reg file if you like.




Option Three

Add or Remove "Copy path" Context Menu for All Users using REG file


You must be signed in as an administrator to use this option.

This option will affect both the modern and classic context menus.


1 Do step 2 (add) or step 3 (remove) below for what you would like to do.

2 Add "Copy as path" and "Copy path" context menu for All Users

This is the default setting.


A) Click/tap on the Download button below to download the file below, and go to step 4 below.

Add_Copy_as_path_to_context_menu_for_all_users.reg


(Contents of REG file for reference)
Code:
Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes\AllFilesystemObjects\shellex\ContextMenuHandlers\CopyAsPathMenu]
@="{f3d06e7c-1e45-4a26-847e-f9fcdee59be0}"

3 Remove "Copy as path" and "Copy path" context menu for All Users

A) Click/tap on the Download button below to download the file below, and go to step 4 below.

Remove_Copy_as_path_from_context_menu_for_all_users.reg


(Contents of REG file for reference)
Code:
Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[-HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes\AllFilesystemObjects\shellex\ContextMenuHandlers\CopyAsPathMenu]

4 Save the .reg file to your desktop.

5 If you have Smart App Control turned on, you will need to unblock the downloaded REG file.

6 Double click/tap on the downloaded .reg file to merge it.

7 When prompted, click/tap on Run, Yes (UAC), Yes, and OK to approve the merge.

8 You can now delete the downloaded .reg file if you like.


That's it,
Shawn Brink


 

Attachments

Last edited:
3. Remove "Copy path" Context Menu for Current User

is actually for all users, and for current user
[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\ContextMenu\Preferences\verbs\copyaspath]
"Enabled"=dword:00000000

this doesn't work.
 

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Windows 11
OS
Windows 11
3. Remove "Copy path" Context Menu for Current User

is actually for all users, and for current user


this doesn't work.

Hello, :alien:

That registry setting is for the same setting in option 1, but is only gradually rolling out starting with Windows 11 build 26340.9212 (Experimental 26H2) for Insiders.
 

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Option three Removes "Copy as path" Context Menu for all users from both the modern and the classic context menu. The following will do that for the current user only. The keyboard shortcut Ctrl-Shift-C will continue to work.

Code:
Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Classes\AllFilesystemObjects\shellex\ContextMenuHandlers\CopyAsPathMenu]
; obscure but effective
"SuppressionPolicy"=dword:40000004
; or simply use this to hide the CLSID
@=""
(The SuppressionPolicy only works if HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer has a a Dword value NoActiveDesktop set to 1 - which is the default setting.)
 

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