1

I'm talking about the HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT registry keys for Windows 10. Changes to the keys in background changes the right click menu when you've clicked inside of a folder. But what do changes to the keys in shell do?

(To be clear, I'm talking about the shell directory that is an immediate child of the Directory key, on the same level as the Background key. Of course, both this shell key and the Background key have a subkey also named shell.)

Improve this question

1 Answer 1

Reset to default
1

Commands under:
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Directory\Shell

are in the context menu of the folder itself ( right-clicked from parent folder ) enter image description here

Interestingly, when you right click a file system folder in the Navigation Pane, you see commands fron both: enter image description here

Rrember, HKCR is a virtual hive made up from entries under:
HKCU\Software\Classes
and
HKLM\SoftWare\Classes

So, in general, read from HKCR but write to HKCU or HKLM.

Improve this answer
2
  • Thank you. So background is the context menu in general, and shell is the context menu only when you right click a folder.
    – John S
    Commented Mar 21, 2021 at 0:45
  • Yes, except I think of Background as the exception applying only to Directory and Folder, and Shell as the more "general", as it appears under many more types. Background in unique to containers.
    – Keith Miller
    Commented Mar 21, 2021 at 6:27

You must log in to answer this question.

Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged .