This tutorial will show you how to add or remove the Select context menu for all users in Windows 10 and Windows 11.
You have many options to select items in File Explorer (Win+E) and on the desktop (Win+D) in Windows 11.
If wanted, you can add a Select context menu to Select all, Select none, and Invert selection items from instead of just from the command bar in File Explorer.
You can right click on a window/desktop background or on one or more selected items, and click/tap on Show more options to see the Select context menu item.
Select context menu items | Description |
|---|---|
| Select all | Select all items on the desktop or currently active open window. |
| Select none | Unselect all items on the desktop or currently active open window. |
| Invert selection | Inverts all currently selected items as unselected and inverts all currently unselected items as selected at once on the desktop or currently active open window. |
You must be signed in as an administrator to add or remove the "Select" context menu.
EXAMPLE: Select context menu
It is required to click/tap on Show more options first by default, then click/tap on Select.
Here's How:
1 Do step 2 (add) or step 3 (remove) below for what you would like to do.
2 Add "Select" context menu
A) Click/tap on the Download button below to download the file below, and go to step 4 below.
Add_Select_to_context_menu.reg
(Contents of .reg file)
Code:
Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00
[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\*\shell\Select]
"MUIVerb"="Select"
"icon"="imageres.dll,-5308"
"SubCommands"="Windows.selectall;Windows.selectnone;Windows.invertselection"
[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Folder\shell\Select]
"MUIVerb"="Select"
"icon"="imageres.dll,-5308"
"SubCommands"="Windows.selectall;Windows.selectnone;Windows.invertselection"
[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Directory\Background\shell\Select]
"MUIVerb"="Select"
"icon"="imageres.dll,-5308"
"SubCommands"="Windows.selectall;Windows.selectnone;Windows.invertselection"
[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\LibraryFolder\Background\shell\Select]
"MUIVerb"="Select"
"icon"="imageres.dll,-5308"
"SubCommands"="Windows.selectall;Windows.selectnone;Windows.invertselection"3 Remove "Select" context menu
This is the default setting.
A) Click/tap on the Download button below to download the file below, and go to step 4 below.
Remove_Select_from_context_menu.reg
(Contents of .reg file)
Code:
Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00
[-HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\*\shell\Select]
[-HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Folder\shell\Select]
[-HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Directory\Background\shell\Select]
[-HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\LibraryFolder\Background\shell\Select]4 Save the .reg file to your desktop.
5 Double click/tap on the downloaded .reg file to merge it.
6 When prompted, click/tap on Run, Yes (UAC), Yes, and OK to approve the merge.
7 You can now delete the downloaded .reg file if you like.
That's it,
Shawn Brink
Last edited:
