CustomMenu

Given the sheer complexity of the Windows operating system, its developers need to take into account the amount of maintenance that comes with introducing a new feature, which would require constant updates to ensure compatibility with other core functions when shipping every new iteration.

As a result, while many suggestions are heard and noticed by Microsoft, bug-fixing and stability changes still remain their top priorities, which is where the power-user community comes into play, providing solutions such as CustomMenu, that enhance the usage experience through the ability to replace elements that are otherwise hard-coded within the OS.

Depending on one’s workflow, the desktop’s right-click context menu can be one of the most frequently triggered parts of the graphical interface, and its lack of accessible customization settings may turn into a major disadvantage for those who want to adjust it in a way that fits their needs. Since one of the few heavily documented ways of doing so relies on the rather difficult and risky process of adding or changing registry entries, many prefer to avoid it.

As such, CustomMenu sets out to replace Windows’ original one with a new template that users can add their own useful elements to. While many tend to hit the Windows key and instantly start searching for the program they want to launch, not all portable versions of programs can be recognized properly, which is why having dedicated lists to pick from can speed up the usage experience. For those times when the original menu is a necessity, users can hold the Control hotkey and right-click the desktop to bring it up without disabling the custom one.

From the settings panel, users can not only set custom titles for the added programs, but they can also implement personalized hints for each item when hovering the cursor over it to bring up details regarding the purpose of freshly installed utilities. Moreover, those who want to avoid cluttering up the list can create sub-menus for each of their workflows, such as gaming, work and movie-related applications. Finally, if you want to refrain from manually digging through Windows’ various settings categories, the app also lets you create shortcuts to folders and specific Control Panel options for easier access.

Whether the design and padding of Windows 11’s context menu does not suit your taste, or you simply want to keep your start menu and taskbar clean by creating a quick-access list of your most important apps available at the press of a button, CustomMenu may be the right choice, given its portable and lightweight form-factor.