When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Here’s how it works. Microsoft updates Windows 11 context menus, but you are probably not going to like it Taras Buria Neowin @TarasBuria · May 10, 2025 13:58 EDT Windows 11 context menus are probably one of the most controversial design changes in Windows 11. While Microsoft has already addressed some of the pain points, like adding labels for common file actions, the menus remain slow, cluttered, and confusing (I am looking at you, "Show more options"). And the latest update is not making things any better. Quite the opposite, to be precise. Microsoft released an update for the Copilot app, and it introduces a new entry in the ever-growing context menus, joining stuff like edit in Notepad/Clipchamp/Photos/Paint, etc. Now, when you right-click a file, you can select the new "Ask Copilot" command. It will launch the Copilot app, copy the file, and let you ask something about it, like summarize a document, draft an email based on the file, explain something, and more. Of course, some might see this addition as actually useful. At the same time, it is not difficult to imagine that quite a lot of users will be discontent about yet another feature cluttering the already slow context menus, which were supposed to be less overcrowded like those in Windows 10. The new "Ask Copilot" option is part of app version 1.25044.93.0, which was released today. Going back to the previous version removes the context menu button, just like uninstalling Copilot for good. However, a simple tweak in the system registry can remove "Ask Copilot" from the context menu. All you need to do is open Notepad and paste the following text (via ElevenForum): Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00 [HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Shell Extensions\Blocked] "{CB3B0003-8088-4EDE-8769-8B354AB2FF8C}"="Ask Copilot" After that, save the file, change its extension from txt to reg, and double-click it. Confirm changes in the registry and restart your computer. However, there is more to come. This week, Microsoft announced that you will be able to trigger AI-powered actions by right-clicking a file in Windows 11's File Explorer. As for more positive changes, Windows 11 is also getting a big Start menu revamp, and you can check out this article to read about how it was made and what designs Microsoft considered. Tags Report a problem with article Follow @NeowinFeed