Microsoft has been quietly working on a fresh take on the Windows 11 right-click menu, and the redesigned version is now close enough to a wider rollout that early adopters can try it today. Thanks to a small command-line tool called ViVeTool, you can switch on the new context menu without waiting for Microsoft to push it out through a regular update. Here’s everything you need to know.
What is the new context menu in Windows 11?
The redesigned context menu Microsoft is testing trims down the cluttered list of options you currently see when you right-click a file or folder. Instead of dumping every action on screen at once, the new menu shows only the most common commands—like Open, Share, and Copy—behind a “Show more options” entry that reveals the full, classic list.
This mirrors the approach Microsoft took with the File Explorer ribbon and other parts of the shell, aiming to reduce decision fatigue for casual users while keeping power users one click away from advanced commands. The change has been floating around Windows Insiders for a while as an experimental flag, and its proximity to a public release is what makes enabling it now a reasonable bet.
What is ViVeTool?
ViVeTool is a free, open-source command-line utility that reads and toggles experimental feature flags hidden inside Windows builds. Microsoft uses these internal flags to test features with a small group of users before deciding whether to ship them more broadly, and ViVeTool simply gives advanced users the same ability to flip those switches manually.
The tool isn’t official Microsoft software—it’s maintained by the Windows development community, so treat it as a third-party utility. You’ll run it from an elevated Command Prompt, and because it manipulates system-level settings, you should only use it if you understand what you’re changing and are comfortable reverting it later.
How to enable the new context menu with ViVeTool
Follow these steps to turn the feature on:
- Download ViVeTool from its official GitHub repository. The project publishes pre-built binaries in a downloadable archive, so grab the latest release and download the zip file.
- Extract the archive to a folder you can easily find, such as your Downloads directory.
- Open File Explorer and navigate to that folder.
- Launch a Command Prompt in that location by typing
cmdinto the address bar and pressing Enter. - Make sure it’s elevated—run the Command Prompt as administrator so ViVeTool has permission to change system settings.
- Run the enable command for the new context menu, which targets the feature’s internal IDs and applies the filter for the new menu:
vivetool /enable /id:43503929,43770408,43815393 /os=filternewcmenu
When it comes back up, right-click any file to see the streamlined menu in action.
How to revert the change
If the new context menu isn’t to your taste, you can turn it back off with the same tool. Run the disable command using the same feature IDs:
vivetool /disable /id:43503929,43770408,43815393 /os=filternewcmenu
Then restart again. Microsoft’s own version of the menu will eventually arrive through a normal update anyway, so this toggle is really just a way to get a head start—or to opt back out if you prefer the familiar layout.
What this means for you
For most Windows 11 users, the new context menu is a small quality-of-life tweak rather than a must-have upgrade. If you right-click files regularly and have ever felt annoyed by the wall of options, the simplified menu could make everyday tasks feel cleaner. But because it’s still an experimental flag being tested ahead of a broader rollout, expect occasional rough edges until Microsoft finalizes the design.
Enabling it via ViVeTool is low-risk as long as you follow the steps carefully and keep track of the command you used, so reverting is straightforward. It’s a good experiment for curious users, but those relying on their PCs for critical work may want to wait for the official rollout.
How to get it
The whole process takes just a few minutes and requires no third-party software beyond ViVeTool itself. Download the latest release from the official GitHub page, follow the steps above, and restart to see the new context menu. If you’d rather not touch experimental flags, simply hold off—Microsoft is expected to bring the redesigned menu to more users on its own soon.
Source: Neowin
Over to you: Do you prefer the streamlined new context menu, or do you like having every option right there in the classic list?
