Vista Tutorial - Context Menu - Enable or Disable

Information

This will show you how to enable or disable the right click Context menu (see example below) for Windows Explorer, Desktop, and the All Programs section of the Start menu. This will affect all user accounts on the computer.

NOTE

By default the context menu is enabled in Vista. If you disable the context menu, then it will no longer be available for the above areas.

Tip

The keyboard shortcut to open the context menu for the currently opened window is: Shift + F10

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1. To Disable the Contect Menu -

A) Click on the download button below to download the Disable_Context_Menu.reg file.

B) Go to step 3.

2. To Enable the Context Menu -

A) Click on the download button below to download the Enable_Context_Menu.reg file.

3. Click on Save, and save the .reg file to the Desktop.

4. Right click on the .reg file (on Desktop) and click on Merge.
NOTE: If you disable the context menu, then you can also double left click on the .reg file (on Desktop) file to merge it instead.

5. Click on the Run button in the Security Warning pop-up.

6. Click on Continue (UAC), Yes, and then OK when prompted.

7. Logoff and logon, or restart the computer to apply the changes.

8. When done, you can delete the .reg file (on Desktop).

1. Open the Start Menu.

2. In the white line (Start Search) area, type regedit and press Enter.

3. Click on Continue in the UAC prompt.

4. In regedit, go to: (See screenshot below)
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer
NOTE: If you do not have Explorer, then right click on Polices and click on New and Key. Type Explorer and press Enter.

5. To Disable the Context Menu -

A) In the right pane, right click on a empty area and click New and click DWORD (32 bit) Value. (See screenshot above)

B) Type NoViewContextMenu and press Enter. (See screenshot below)

C) Right click on NoViewContextMenu and click on Modify.

D) Type 1 and click on OK. (See screenshot below)

E) The registry should now look like this. (See screenshot below)

F) Go to step 7.

6. To Enable the Context Menu -

A) Right click on NoViewContextMenu and click on Delete. (See screenshot above)
NOTE: You can also double left click on NoViewContextMenu and type 0 (number zero) and click on OK instead.

B) Click on Yes to confirm the delete.

7. Close regedit.

8. Logoff and logon, or restart the computer to apply the changes.