Windows 11 context menu to get major performance and customization updates

Microsoft is planning updates to the Windows 11 context menu after users complained it was slow and hard to use. The company has been working on fixes, and new information about its plans has just come out.

The updates are part of Microsoft’s broader Windows K2 initiative, which aims to improve several aspects of the operating system, including both design and usability. The context menu is one of the main areas targeted for improvement.

Recent reporting from Windows Central provides a closer look at Microsoft’s progress. According to journalist Zac Bowden, who has reviewed working code, the company is implementing major changes to the context menu’s functionality.

A primary focus of the update is improving performance. Microsoft has modified the context menu so that it should now appear immediately when users right-click, resolving earlier complaints about lag and unresponsiveness.

The slowdown has been partly caused by the large number of apps that add their own entries to the menu, making it harder to navigate and slower to load. Microsoft plans to introduce a more compact menu to help resolve these issues, and further changes are also in development.

The redesigned menu is expected to be faster and more reliable, as it will no longer load every third-party action by default. Microsoft also previewed a new customization feature at the Windows Insider Meetup in London, allowing users to choose which apps and actions appear in the right-click menu.

With this update, users will be able to show or hide specific actions and apps and rearrange their order in the menu. A new “customize” option will appear at the bottom of the menu, making it easier to adjust these settings at any time.