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Windows 11 gets right-click menu improvements as PC revenue slides

Software2 min read

Microsoft is rolling out a Windows 11 preview update that lets users customize the right-click menu. It also adds a recovery tool called Cloud Rebuild that can reinstall Windows over the internet.

A better right-click menu

Microsoft has started rolling out a Windows 11 preview update, called KB5127936. It fixes a long-running complaint about the right-click menu. Over the years, Microsoft moved some familiar commands behind a row of icons or under a "Show more options" submenu. Now users get a "customize menu" button. It lets them choose which commands appear, and in what order.

Key facts

  • The update is cumulative for Windows 11 versions 26H2 and 25H2.
  • It will roll out gradually first, then to all Windows 11 devices when it reaches general availability.
  • Users can turn built-in commands such as Send To or Create Shortcut on or off.
  • Users can also pick which third-party extensions show up in the main menu or the submenus.

What Cloud Rebuild does

The preview also introduces Cloud Rebuild, a recovery option. It can reinstall Windows 11 straight from the cloud, even when Windows will not start. It gets the Windows 11 image and needed drivers from Windows Update, so users do not need a special recovery image or a USB drive. Cloud Rebuild works more like a fresh install than a repair. Existing apps and files are not kept. Users can wipe the entire system drive first if they are worried about data security.

Why it matters

Power users have spent years using custom scripts and tools to make Windows work the way they like. A built-in way to shape the right-click menu could make that much easier. The news also came in the same week as Microsoft's quarterly report, which showed that sales of Windows licenses for new PCs keep falling.

What to watch

  • How smoothly the gradual rollout goes for KB5127936.
  • When the changes reach all Windows 11 users after general availability.
  • How Cloud Rebuild works in real recovery cases, and whether it becomes easier to use.
  • More details on Xbox mode and settings changes in Microsoft's official release notes.

Glossary

Windows 11
Microsoft's current desktop operating system, the main software that runs a PC.
KB5127936
The code name for this specific Windows 11 preview update.
right-click menu
The pop-up list of commands that appears when you right-click with a mouse.
Cloud Rebuild
A new Windows recovery option that reinstalls Windows from the internet.
Windows Update
Microsoft's service that delivers Windows updates and downloads over the internet.
general availability
The point when an update is released to everyone, not just testers or a small group.

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