In Windows 10, you can add the commands Copy To and Move To to the context menu of File Explorer. While these commands are available on the Ribbon, it is useful to have them directly in the right click menu for faster access. Let's see how it can be done.
The Copy To context menu command is designed to copy selected files and folders to a destination folder which the user can choose.
The context menu command Move To has a similar behavior but it moves selected items from one location to another.
As noted earlier, these commands are accessible from the Ribbon in Windows 10's File Explorer:
Having them in the context menu can speed up your daily file management tasks. They are especially useful for users who prefer to disable the Ribbon interface of Windows 10's File Explorer. Here is what you have to do to add these commands to the context menu.
Add Copy To and Move To in the context menu of File Explorer
- Open Registry Editor.
- Go to the following key:
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\AllFilesystemObjects\shellex\ContextMenuHandlers
Tip: see How to jump to the desired registry key with one click
- Here, create a new subkey using the following names:
- for the Copy To context menu command, create a new subkey named {C2FBB630-2971-11D1-A18C-00C04FD75D13}.
Now, you can select one or more files and folders in File Explorer and right click them. The commands will be accessible right in the context menu, as shown above.
To save your time, I prepared ready to use Registry files which you can download from here:
Watch the following video to see everything mentioned above in action:
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Note: This trick also works in Windows 7, Windows 8 and Windows 8.1.
Do you find these commands useful? Will you add them to the context menu? Tell us in the comments!
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Is it possible to also show the items in a sub-dropdown? Like when you click on it in the ribbon menu.
Nope, the dropdown cannot be added to the context menu.
Add this to Tweaker to enable one-click activation.
It is in development already.
These are useful additions, but, won’t my Windows 10 configuration be changed slightly, with the possible downstream consequences, when new versions of Windows 10 are offered?
to wit, I may have to edit the registry, to ensure that my particular personalizations are applied. If so, this is extra and unnecessary work, fiddling with the Registry, which is sometimes dangerous.
Generally, if I can stay with the vanilla system, I will.
How did you accidentally land on this tweaking site if your intention is to stay with a vanilla system?
I can’t find a date for when this was posted. I have used this tweak for years but I can’t get it to work in Windows 10.1. I entered everything in the registry correctly but it doesn’t show up when I right click in Explorer. Any idea why?
Thank you. Worked 100%. easy step-by-step guide.