Windows 11 File Explorer Right-click Menu was changed to include icons

Yup. This is SO ANNOYING. I'll never understand Microsoft. Do they think that by moving something around to a new location and giving it a different name, that somehow they've upgraded the software? It's almost like they're trying to handicap those who already know how to use a computer so those just learning don't feel so left behind. This is a really bad idea. I found this post because I'm looking for a way to CHANGE this back to words... THIS IS SO LAME. I'll probably just move back to Linux for my main systems, but I have to work on this stupid OS all day long.

I think they are trying so hard to emulate the Mac®. If I wanted a MAC, I would buy one. Thanks for responding so I know I'm not the only "annoyed user."

I did find a fix for this - I tested and it works:

I could not more agree with you. "Show more options". Seriously?!?!

Off to the kiddy table you go, "Cut", "Copy", "Delete", and "Rename".

It seems if it's not broke, Microsoft is determined to break it these days. Sad but true.

Thank you so much for this Fix you linked to for the Windows 11 Dumb Menus problem.

Those dumbed down context menus were driving me CRAZY!

Specifically I want to to be able to COPY files & Folders to OneDrive this way, but the dumb menu only allows you to MOVE files!

Even the extended "Show more options" menu does not allow OneDrive Copy only Move! How annoying, even more so that to change this we have to crawl through regedit and make changes!

(Yes you can copy then paste using the Dumb Icons at the top, but that requires more steps)

I agree completely. However, the rest of the context menu isn't so bad. I really just want to replace the kiddy icons with words for the basics of "cut copy paste delete". Has anyone found a way to revert these back to words and leave the rest of the context menu intact?

I couldn't agree more!

No I dont think thats it. Those menus are still very much labeled with text on the mac.

Microsofts design language is now very much flat and web inspired..

This is just plain old bad design. Jakob Nielsen who's work on usebility with Sun in the 1990s pretty much wrote the bible on useability, and these "mystery meat" icons fail that principle hard. You have to know what the icons mean to use them and you cant find out what they mean because they arent labeled. And you cant even google them because how do you type an icon into the web search.

I agree wholeheartedly agree, very stupid of Microsoft!