Hidden Right-Click (Context) Menu Options in Windows 7

Windows Vista included some hidden (a.k.a extended) context menu options which are seen only if you use the SHIFT key when right-clicking on a file or folder. These hidden context menu options are retained in Windows 7 as well, with some other options added.

Pressing SHIFT + Right-click in an empty area on the Desktop shows the extended menu option Open Command Window Here.

Desktop

Folders / Directories

Navigation Pane in Windows Explorer

Executable (.exe) file



Shortcuts (.lnk) file

*Note that the Open in New Window and Open in New Process options may also appear in other areas of the Windows Explorer shell in Windows 7.

Start menu

Click the Start Orb, press and hold the CTRL and SHIFT keys and right-click on an empty area in the Start menu. You’ll see the hidden GUI option named Exit Explorer. Note that this option was carried forward from Windows Vista to Windows 7.


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Ramesh Srinivasan is passionate about Microsoft technologies and he has been a consecutive ten-time recipient of the Microsoft Most Valuable Professional award in the Windows Shell/Desktop Experience category, from 2003 to 2012. He loves to troubleshoot and write about Windows. Ramesh founded Winhelponline.com in 2005.

3 thoughts on “Hidden Right-Click (Context) Menu Options in Windows 7”

  1. Some keyboard shortcuts for different context menu’s for the Superbar in Windows 7:

    Shift+Click on the icon to launch another instance of the application.

    Ctrl+Shift+Click on the icon to launch an instance of the application an elevated (administrative) mode.

    Shift+Right Click to get the standard taskbar context menu for that application (valid for a single instance, for multiple instances, you get the taskbar group context menu).

  2. For me the big question is: Where is all this stuff documented? Whenever I buy a piece of software, I expect it to come with a user manual. No wonder my mum cannot understand Windows. Most people I know have learnt to use Windows by trial and error, which means that a lot of the useful features will remain unknown to most users, which is a pity.

  3. When i right click in the empty area, menu “New” is black, how can i recover items such as New Folder, New text document,…?!

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