Feature: Context Menu Cannot Be Configured to Windows 10 Style or Optimized for Performance in Windows 11

[Richert-mark]

What feature or improvement do you think would benefit Files?

I'm currently experiencing a usability issue with the context menu in the software.

The right-click context menu cannot be configured to use the Windows 10 single-level style with the Windows 11 visual appearance. Instead, it always follows the default Windows 11 behavior: displaying shortcut icons at the top and using nested submenus. The submenus load slowly — after right-clicking, it shows "Loading..." and takes 1–2 seconds before the submenu items appear.

There is no option in the software settings to switch to a single-level context menu. I’ve managed to achieve this behavior in the default Windows 11 File Explorer by installing a plugin, which provides the Windows 10-style context menu with improved speed and accessibility. However, in the Files software, the plugin doesn't work, and there’s no built-in way to configure how the context menu is displayed — only which items are shown.

This significantly reduces efficiency, as the current two-level, slow-loading menu introduces delays during file operations.

Would it be possible to add support for:

Switching to a single-level context menu (Windows 10 style)

Disabling top shortcut icons and nested menus

Improving submenu loading speed

Allowing third-party plugins to modify the context menu behavior

Aimed performance is following:

Requirements

• This proposal will accomplish X
• This proposal will accomplish Y
• This proposal will accomplish Z

Files Version

3.9.0.0

Windows Version

26100.4061

Comments

No response

[yaira2]

Thank you for your feedback, shell extensions can be displayed in the main menu via Settings > Move shell extensions into a sub menu.

[yaira2]

The setting is hard to miss 🙂