How to Add Preview and Details Pane Options to File Explorer’s Context Menu
Windows File Explorer includesPreview paneandDetails paneoptions that show preview and info sidebars for selected files when enabled. These options are in aShowsubmenu within Explorer’sViewmenu. However, you could make those options more accessible by adding them to Explorer’s right-click context menu.
Here is how to set up context menu shortcuts for the file preview & Details pane features with and without third-party software in Windows 11/10.
How to Add a Preview Pane Option to the Context Menu With a Registry Script
A registry script is a file that modifies theWindows registrywhen applied. Instead of manually tweaking the registry to add aPreview panecontext option, we can set up a script that does it. You can set up a pre-made registry script that adds aPreview panecontext menu option in Notepad as follows:
Now it’s time to run your script:
A newPreview paneshortcut will now be on Windows 11’s classic context menu. To try it out,open File ExplorerwithWin + Eand right-click an image or document file. You should see aShow more optionsentry to access the classic context menu.
Click the newPreview paneoption on the classic menu to enable the feature. Selecting the option a second time will turn off the preview sidebar again.
Once enabled, you’ll see a preview sidebar for whatever file you’ve selected within File Explorer. The preview shows the selected file’s content in a sidebar as in the screenshot directly below. It’s a useful feature because you can see in the sidebar if a selected file is one you need to open before opening it.
You can remove thePreview panecontext menu option if you prefer not to keep it there. First,open the Registry Editorand go toHKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\AllFilesystemObjects\shell\Windows.readingpanein the Registry Editor’s key address bar. Right-click theWindows.readingpanekey to selectDelete, and clickYesfor confirmation.
How to Add a Details Pane Option to the Context Menu With a Registry Script
Selecting Explorer’sDetails paneoption enables a feature that shows some additional info for selected files, such as size, date created, dimensions for images, etc. For some image files, you could manually add comments, author, tag, camera, and subject details in the info sidebar. Thus, the Details pane can be especially useful for photographers.
you may add aDetails paneoption to the context menu by setting up a registry script in Notepad much the same as for Explorer’s Preview pane. However, you’ll need to add a different registry script into the text editor for step three of the method above. This is the Details pane script you’ll need to copy and paste into Notepad:
Just follow the steps above for setting up a preview registry script with that Details pane script. Save the script to the desktop with a Details Pane.reg file title. Double-click the Details Pane file on the desktop, and selectYes>OKto apply it.
Then open the classic context menu again by right-clicking a file and selectingShow more options. Or you may select a file and pressShift+F10to view that menu. Either way, that menu will include aDetails paneoption you can select to view an info sidebar for files.
You can also remove theDetails paneoption from the right-click menu similarly to thePreview paneshortcut. However, you need to delete aWindows.previewpanekey instead of theWindows.readingpaneone. You can find that key at theHKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\AllFilesystemObjects\shell\Windows.previewpaneregistry location.
How to Add Preview and Details Pane Options With Context Menu Tuner
Context Menu Tuner is a decent freeware app that makes customizing Windows 11’s right-click menu a breeze. That app includes various command options you can select to add to the context menu. You can add options for enabling/disabling preview and details sidebars to Explorer’s context menu with that software like this:
You can later remove those options anytime with the Context Menu Tuner software without manually deleting keys for them. Select the panes in the right column of Context Menu Tuner, and click theRemovebutton.
Make the Most of Explorer’s Preview and Details Panes
Explorer’s panes for file previews and details are useful features. As you can’t have both panes open at once, you’ll need to switch between those sidebars with some regularity. Adding context menu options for those panes will give you a more direct way to enable/disable them whenever required.
If you’re a Windows user, you’ll spend a lot of time in File Explorer. Here’s how to customize it in Windows 11.
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