Enhance Windows Explorer’s Context Menu With Shell Tools

Shell extensions brings additional functionality to Windows Explorer by allowing you to perform simple tasks with even greater ease. Shell Tools offers a bundle of such shell utilities and extensions that would add to the functionality that is being offered by Windows. Although the additions are small, they are useful all the same.

You can download and install Shell Tools from here. Once you have done so, have a look at the Shell Tools control center. Enable and disable the various shell extensions from here. Let’s have a look at a number of tools that are included:

Any File Shell Extension

This extension includes two utilities: Filenote and CopyFilename. The CopyFileName Utility allows you to copy the filenames. Just right-click on the file and choose the option. You can select multiple files as well and copy all of the names.

Filenote, on the other hand, allows you to add notes to your files. These notes can contain additional information about the file, something you want to add to the file in future or just about anything. Right-clicking on a file and choosing Filenote will create an invisible text file and open the newly-created text file for editing. Anything you type is saved as a note for the original file. The next time you choose Filenote on the same file you will open the previously created note. You can also choose to hide the text file via the Shell Tools Control Panel.

Folder Background Extension

Enable this and you can quickly toggle Window’s “Show Hidden Files” option. After enabling this extension, right-click on the empty space within an open folder and you will see an option to “Show Hidden Files” which you click to toggle the setting quickly.

UrlFile Extension

Allows you to click and select one or more of your internet shortcuts (or favorites) and then copy the link, URL or name to the clipboard. You can double-click the commands within the Shell Tools Control Panel and edit them to your liking.

FontFile Extension

This allows you to load and unload fonts quickly without having to go to the Windows Control Panel to perform all the customary rituals! (Although Windows Vista and Windows 7 simplify the process)

RegisterServer Shell Extension

Another handy addition to DLL and OCX files’ context menus. This would allow you to quickly register and unregister the DLL, OCX and EXE files with ease without having to visit the command line or the Run dialog.

Shell Tools is a handy collection of nice utilities that add some extra functionality to your context menus allowing you to do certain tasks quickly. The ability to edit the commands from within Shell Tools Control Panel is an added benefit, letting you customize the editor that is launched to create notes or the command that is run while copying links.

Do you know of others similar shell utilities? Sound off in the comments!