The context menu is a handy menu you can open in Windows 11 by clicking the right mouse button on the desktop or in File Explorer. That menu consists of two parts in Windows 11, and you can customize its secondary classic menu with registry hacks and third-party software packages in many ways. Here we’ll be looking at how you can add context menu folder shortcuts with the MyFolders and Right Click Context Menu Adder apps.

How to Add Folders to Windows 11’s Context Menu With MyFolders

MyFolders is freeware software for Windows 11,10, 8,7, Vista, and XP that adds a new directory submenu to the context menu for the desktop and in File Explorer. You can configure that submenu by adding folder shortcuts to it for opening with Explorer or Command Prompt. Its submenu also includes some additional folder management options. This is how you can add folders to Windows 11’s context menu with MyFolders:

  1. First, open the MyFolders webpage.
  2. Click the Download Completely Free button.
  3. Next, click File Explorer’s shortcut on Windows 11’s taskbar; and navigate to the directory where the MyFolders_Installer.exe setup file was downloaded.
  4. Double-click MyFolders_Installer.exe to view the MyFolders setup window.
  5. Select Next to continue to the user information step.
  6. Enter a name or email address within the User Name box, and click Next again.
    The Setup - MyFolders window
  7. Select Next two more times, and then click MyFolders’ Install option.
    The Install button
  8. Click the Yes, restart the computer now radio button, and select Finish.

Once your PC has restarted:

  1. Sign in to the user account in which you installed MyFolders within.
  2. Then open MyFolders by clicking Start > All apps. Select MyFolders > Configure MyFolders to view the app’s window.
  3. Click the Add button.
    The Add button
  4. Choose a directory to add to the context menu and select the OK option.
  5. Click Done to exit the MyFolders window.

How to Use MyFolders

Check out the new folder shortcut you’ve just added to the context menu. Right-click a space on the desktop background and select Show more options. Move the cursor over the MyFolders submenu and Go to. Then click the folder shortcut you just added to open its directory in Explorer.

The MyFolders submenu

Alternatively, you can select to open the folder in the Command Prompt. Move the cursor over the Open command window option. There you can select to open the same folder with the Command Prompt.

The MyFolders submenu includes extra options you can select in File Explorer. Right-click a folder in Explorer to select Show more options > MyFolders. Then you can click Copy to and Move to options for copying and moving directories to the folders you’ve added to the menu.

The Copy to option

To remove folders from the context menu, select Settings on the MyFolders submenu. Then select an added folder with the app’s window and click Remove. You can also reorganize items by clicking the Move up and Move down buttons.

How to Add Folders to Windows 11’s Context Menu With Right Click Context Menu Adder

Right Click Context Menu Adder is an app with which you can add a folder, program, web address, and file shortcuts to Windows 11’s right-click menu. This software comes packed in a RAR archive. So, you’ll need one of the best RAR extraction tools like 7-Zip File Manager to open up its archive.

You can extract Right Click Context Menu Adder’s archive with 7-Zip like this:

  1. Open the 7-Zip File Manager download page.
  2. Select the Download option for 7-Zip’s 64-bit Windows version, and then double-click the 7z2201-x64.exe setup file within the folder that includes it.
  3. Click Install within the 7-Zip setup window.
  4. Open the Right Click Context Menu Adder download page.
  5. Click Download to view the two location options.
  6. Select the External Mirror or Softpedia Secure Download (US) option. The US option is better for users in North America.
  7. Then launch the 7-Zip software.
  8. Select the RightClickContextMenuAdder.RAR in 7-ZIP and click the Extract button.
    The Extract button in 7-Zip
  9. Click the ellipsis (…) button, choose a location for Right Click Context Menu Adder, and select OK.
    The Extract window
  10. Press the OK button to extract the RAR archive.
  11. Exit the 7-Zip software.

After extracting the RAR archive, you can launch and utilize Right Click Context Menu Adder right-away, since no installation is required. This is how to add folders to the context menu with that software:

  1. Use one of the many ways to open the Windows File Explorer.
  2. Open the extracted Right Click Context Menu Adder folder.
  3. Double-click the Right Click Context Menu.exe file.
  4. Click the Folder radio button.
    The Right Click Context Menu Adder window
  5. Press the Choose Folder button.
  6. Select a directory to add to the context menu within the Browse For Folder window and click OK.
  7. Click the Add to Desktop Context Menu and to Folders Context Menu option.
  8. Press the Add to Context Menu button.

Now have a look at the folder shortcut you’ve just added to the context menu. Right-click a part of the desktop area and bring up the classic menu by selecting Show more options. Then you can click the folder you’ve just added to the menu to access that directory.

A Program Files folder shortcut on the context menu

How to Tweak Right Click Context Menu Adder

There are a few optional settings you can change when adding folders to the context menu with Right Click Context Menu Adder. To change the shortcut’s position, select a different Position on Menu option.

You can change the shortcut's label by entering something different in the Text On Menu box. If you select Show only when Shift key is pressed, the shortcut will only be visible if you activate the context menu with the Shift key pressed.

An Enable Aero Glass setting is selected by default in Right Click Context Menu Adder. That setting can make this software’s tab text somewhat unclear in Windows 11. So, it’s best to disable that option by selecting the Settings tab (the third one from the right) and deselecting the Enable Aero Glass checkbox. Then the tabs will have clear black text.

The Enable Aero Glass checkbox

To delete folder shortcuts added, and other context menu icons, click the Remove items from menu tab. Then select a folder you’ve added to the menu and click Remove. Select Yes to confirm you’re sure about deleting the menu entry.

The Remove items from menu tab

Open Your Most Important Folders From the Windows 11 Context Menu

MyFolders and Right Click Context Menu Adder make it quick and easy to add folders to the desktop and Explorer context menus without any manual registry tweaking. Adding folders to the context menu will save you from rummaging through File Explorer to get to them. Such right-click shortcuts can be invaluable for quickly accessing folders with long paths in Windows 11.