Customize windows explorer right-click context menu

1 January 2000 by Snakefoot | Comment » | Trackback Off
Windows creates by default several actions for the different file-types (JPG,TXT,HTM,etc.) that it knows. These actions are shown in the context-menu when right clicking a file (or folder), and depending of the file-type a different set of actions are available.

It is possible to add your own useful actions to the context-menu, when right clicking a file (or folder). To add your own action to a file-type:
  • Win9x/WinNT4:
    • Open My Computer -> View-menu -> Folder Options...-item -> File Types-tab
    • Find the wanted File Type (Ex. .DOC) and press "Edit", and it will show the actions currently associated with the file-type
    • Press "New" to add another action to be shown when right click that file-type
  • WinMe/Win2k/XP:
    • Open My Computer -> Tools-menu -> Folder Options...-item -> File Types-tab
    • Find the wanted File Type (Ex. .DOC) and press "Advanced", and it will show the actions currently associated with the file-type
    • Press "New" to add another action to be shown when right click that file-type
Different ideas for possible actions to create:
  • Add "Unzip All" to the "Folder"-filetype, which decompresses all zip-files within the folder:
    • Using 7Zip command line tool:

      C:\7Zip\7z x "%1\*.zip" -o"%1\UNZIPPED\" -r

    • Using WinZip command line tool (WZunzip):

      C:\WinZip\Wzunzip.exe -d "%1\*.zip" "%1\UNZIPPED\"

    • Using Pkware command line tool (Pkunzip):

      C:\PKZip\Pkunzip.exe -d %1\*.ZIP -o %1\UNZIPPED\

  • Add "Mount Image" to the "ISO"-filetype, which mounts the image using Daemon Tools

    C:\D-Tools\Daemon.exe -mount 0,"%1"

  • Add "Command Prompt Here" to the "Folder"-filetype:
Related Utilities to modify the Explorer context menu
Related Extend context menu with Move To and Copy To options
Related Extend context menu with Copy Path

Updated: 23 September 2007

Leave a comment


You can use these tags: <a href="" title=""> <abbr title=""> <acronym title=""> <b> <blockquote cite=""> <code> <em> <i> <strike> <strong>