Microsoft Admits Windows 11 Context Menu Is ‘Cluttered and Sluggish,’ Begins Restoring Windows 10 Features
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21.08.2026 08:08
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2 min read
Microsoft has announced a major overhaul of the File Explorer context menu in Windows 11. On the official Windows Insider blog, developers directly admitted that over time, the updated right-click menu had become “cluttered and sluggish” (cluttered and sluggish), with third-party app extensions significantly increasing its response time.
To address the latency issues, the menu was made noticeably lighter by default, its rendering speed was optimized, and deep customization options were added.
Return of Familiar Windows 10 Features
Microsoft took into account “years of muscle memory” from users of the previous OS version and added options in settings to restore the classic look of commands:
- Text list of actions: the “Cut,” “Copy,” “Paste,” “Rename,” “Delete,” and “Share” options can now be displayed as standard lines of text rather than a compact row of icons at the top;
- Properties position: the Properties item can now be moved back to the very bottom of the list;
- Extension management: users can manually disable third-party app items and system commands (such as “Send to” or “Print”) so they do not slow down the interface.
Global Optimization of Windows 11
The redesign of the context menu is part of a broader effort to improve system performance and reliability, which Microsoft previously reported on. Developers resolved dozens of internal causes of File Explorer freezes during file renaming, folder navigation, and reloading of the Home page.
At the same time, other familiar features are returning to preview builds. As noted in the May Windows Insider updates, the taskbar can once again be moved to the top, left, or right edge of the screen, while the Start menu received features to disable recommendations, hide pinned sections, and resize the overall menu.
The updated context menu and File Explorer optimizations are already available to Windows Insider program participants and will appear in stable versions of Windows 11 with upcoming system updates.
