Context menu problem - too much stuff on it !!

I'm a newcomer to using Windows 11. There are so many glitches in using it. I have two questions....
1) Can anyone suggest the simplest way to remove items from an overcrowded "right click/see more options" menu. I have tried using a suggested program called EZ easy context menu but I'm unclear as to what exactly I need to do and I don't want to mess things up completely. So, if I want to delete items from the long list it shows, how do I easily do this? I see from looking on Youtube that I could revert to the older Windows 10 context menu but, if I did that and the list is still too overcrowded, would I be able to remove them the same way that you might advise for Windows 11 ??
2) I have a new 22" monitor. Some of the pages look like the text is not quite right ie, not pin sharp. What should be the preferred screen resolution. I currently have it at 1360 x 768.
3) Lastly, some apps that I see on the Startup list in settings do not not actually start when I boot up. Could it be that some programs just don't like Windows 11 ?

Many thanks

You can use ShellMenuView to manage context menu items.

Hi again, Barry

Can you screenshot or list what you see when you say a long list of context menu items? (Or even take a photo if you need to)

Do your GPU & Monitor allow 1920 x 1080? Or simply do you have the choice of 1920 x 1080 in display settings?

What apps don't start when in the startup folder or list?

It will take time, Barry. We can only adapt. Going backwards will make things more complicated, eventually, especially when Windows 10 is put to pasture next year.

There are quite a few context menu tutorials here that allow you to run a registry file that will remove certain context menu items. If we have an idea of some of the items you don’t want, we might be able to point you to an easy fix for them without the need of 3rd party software.

Choosing to Disable "Show more options" context menu in Windows 11 does not remove items from it, as instead it only reverts the context menu back to the older Windows 10 context menu like you said. Doing this also means that Sordum Easy Context Menu will work, and will work the same exact way as how it also works on Windows 10. (This is in addition to the added benefit of no longer having to put the extra effort of clicking on "Show more options" just to be able to see the menu items that you need...) Other programs that you can use to, among lots of other things, control and adjust which menu items you want to see in the menu(s) versus not are:

• Winaero Tweaker
• Ultimate Windows Tweaker 5 for Windows 11

What is the native resolution of your new 22″ monitor? Normally you should use that to get the best possible picture quality that can be achieved with it. Also select the Scale that you are most comfortable using, i.e. in Windows Settings | System | Display. (Avoid using the Custom Scale option, as this option has a bad tendency to completely mess up the UI a lot.) The Scale setting controls the size of the whole UI and all of its elements, but does not affect the screen resolution itself in any way. In places where ClearType fonts are displayed, adjusting ClearType settings may enhance visible sharpness and readability of text. Sadly, these ClearType settings are broken, BUT... here is a solution that works well enough for me: GitHub - bp2008/BetterClearTypeTuner: A better way to configure ClearType font smoothing on Windows 10.

As for apps that refuse to start automatically when Windows 11 starts, but that don't have this problem on Windows 10. I have yet to find an example of that. Are you sure that they aren't running? If they have an icon in the Notification Area of the taskbar, see if the icons aren't present in the taskbar corner overflow (menu that you can open by clicking on the chevron sign that appears on the left of the Notification Area if the number of icons in that area are too many).

When you run the command explorer shell:::{05d7b0f4-2121-4eff-bf6b-ed3f69b894d9} (or, alternatively, you paste shell:::{05d7b0f4-2121-4eff-bf6b-ed3f69b894d9} in File Explorer's address bar and you press the Enter key), in the window that opens, you can still choose which icons you want to see versus not. These settings are the same as the ones that you can find by going in Windows Settings | Personalization | Taskbar | Other system tray icons. System tray icons are now officially called Notification area icons according to Microsoft, but seems like Windows 11 has dissociative identity disorder previously known as multiple personality disorder. So, you need to be a bit of a MicroShrink to be be able to put your finger on what this is about, but fortunately, we're all good people...

In this same window also, the "Always show all icons and notifications in the taskbar" checkbox at the bottom is still present (unlike when you use the Windows Settings app), but choosing to enable it has no effect (unlike on Windows 10). To fix that problem, there exists a registry tweak. From an elevated command prompt, run:
reg add HKCU\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer /v EnableAutoTray /t REG_DWORD /d 1 /f
(Reboot after.)
To undo this registry tweak:
reg add HKCU\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer /v EnableAutoTray /t REG_DWORD /d 0 /f
(Reboot after.)

Hopefully this helps. Windows 11 has a whole plethora of other annoyances that you might encounter, but a lot of them can still be fixed. When I say annoyances, what I factually mean are things that are holding back your productivity. What I don't mean are things that belong in the "look and feel" ballpark. So, if a certain tweak/customization reverts something back to Windows 10 or older Windows version, or it gives the impression that that's what it does, then that's just a mere side effect of how real problems can be fixed with solutions that work.

I.e., it's about the exact opposite of what some people have been repetitively trying to suggest over the past several years and probably longer. That in fact is why I read through comments about there being "no need to make Windows look and feel like older Windows" as if claiming that there are no colors in a rainbow. The same with remarks from the likes of "just accept that Windows continues to evolve so you only need to adapt to it". What you truly need is a strong mouse wheel to scroll right past them IMNSHO... So, if you are looking for more advice about possible customizations/tweaks, please don't hesitate to ask. Also be sure to check out the tutorial section. In a whole lot of cases, you really don't need to look elsewhere.

Hi all. I attach two screenshots showing:
1) Context menu with stuff I don't need on it example Glary utilities entries, Restore previous versions, and others. I am after a simple solution that will allow me to delete items that I don't want or need from this menu..
2) Second screenshot shows what I mean by text not looking 100% sharp (or is it my eyesight !!) I will later on try to change scale / resolution etc as advised above. This screenshot actually shows what I mean about programs not starting automatically....the screenshot is from a startup menu in one of my programs and the two items that are not starting or showing anywhere appear OK on the list of startup programs but I note they do not have proper icons appearing - could that mean anything ?? I have already tried uninstalling / reinstalling them and they worked up until yesterday.

Never a dull moment with this Windows 11. I am frightened to let any update happen in case it makes things worse !!!!

Hi, Barry

I downloaded & installed Glary Utilities and found the context menu entry.

Firstly, before removing a context menu entry, export the reg file as a backup in case you feel the need to add it again.
It's always best to backup things in case of unforeseen issues. “Especially backup your entire system”

• To backup the registry key for Glary Utilites

1. Open "Regedit"
2. Navigate to HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\*\shellex\ContextMenuHandlers\
3. Right click on "Glary Utilities"
4. Select "Export"
5. Select a place to save the .reg file
6. Name the file
7. Click "Save"

• To remove "Glary" utilities from the context menu.

1. Open Regedit
2. Navigate to (or stay where you were when you exported the key) HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\*\shellex\ContextMenuHandlers\
3. Delete the "Glary Utilities" folder from the left pane

• Removing entries like PeaZip should work the same.
• Deleting a known program folder in HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\*\shellex\ContextMenuHandlers\ should operate in the same way.
• Remember to back up the folder (key) first
• Double clicking on a saved .reg file and agreeing to everything will restore the key.

Other context menu entries I see:

• Add or Remove "Give access to" context menu in Windows 11

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

• Other context menu add/remove tutorials are available. Open “tutorials" and use the search function.

Winaero Tweaker is also handy.
You can find context menu tweaks within.

• Open Winaero tweaker
• Type Context" into the search bar
• A long list of options to add/enable/disable context menu entries are available.
• Alternatively, you can just scroll down the left pane to inspect available tweaks.

- Always current & updated.

Beware of software that doesn't appear to have been updated for a while as Windows 11 updates can alter the softwares' effectiveness.
One context menu software I looked at last night had a copyright message that only extended to 2019 and doesn't appear to have been updated for over 5 years.

Do your homework or ask questions on this forum.


I'll try to help with the rest when I have a little more time. For now, I hope this is helpful.

barryman said:

Hi all. I attach two screenshots showing:
1) Context menu with stuff I don't need on it example Glary utilities entries, Restore previous versions, and others. I am after a simple solution that will allow me to delete items that I don't want or need from this menu..
2) Second screenshot shows what I mean by text not looking 100% sharp (or is it my eyesight !!) I will later on try to change scale / resolution etc as advised above. This screenshot actually shows what I mean about programs not starting automatically....the screenshot is from a startup menu in one of my programs and the two items that are not starting or showing anywhere appear OK on the list of startup programs but I note they do not have proper icons appearing - could that mean anything ?? I have already tried uninstalling / reinstalling them and they worked up until yesterday.

Never a dull moment with this Windows 11. I am frightened to let any update happen in case it makes things worse !!!!

Click to expand...

These questions have already been answered in the post directly above yours. Please note, using Regedit to edit the Windows registry is most certainly not the easiest method to remove those specific context menu items that you are referring to here. After "Show more options" has already been disabled on Windows 11 like you said you have done, to remove those items the easiest method by far is still Sordum Easy Context Menu. For this exact purpose it works, and, it also works where others have failed. If, however, "Show more options" has not been disabled on Windows 11, then Sordum Easy Context Menu can not be used for this purpose.

Also be aware that the various "Add or remove context menu item XYZ on Windows 11" tutorials that can be found in the tutorials section here on Elevenforum do not apply when "Show more options" has been disabled on Windows 11. That is, these tutorials only apply to Windows 11 provided that "Show more options" has not been disabled on Windows 11. To get a complete list of these tutorials, in Google Search you could just type:
site:elevenforum.com remove context menu Windows 11
...and press the Enter key.

As for why startup apps are not starting. Have you verified that their icons have not been hidden in the taskbar corner overflow like how I told you? If you do not answer my replies, then I won't be able to assist you further.