Microsoft is beginning the rollout of a Windows 11 preview update that finally addresses a persistent complaint power users have with the operating system: the right-click menu that erased years of muscle memory in command locations and hid others behind an extra click. The timing is notable, as the announcement comes alongside Microsoft’s quarterly financial report, which showed a continued decline in business selling Windows licenses for new PCs.
The preview update, KB5127936, is cumulative for Windows 11 versions 26H2 and 25H2. The update will be a gradual rollout before eventually moving to a normal rollout for all Windows 11 devices once it reaches general availability. The highlights of the new update should appease angry users who have spent years with custom scripts and services in an attempt to shape Windows the way they would prefer. Users will get a “customize menu” button that controls which commands appear when they right-click. Users can turn built-in commands like Send to or Create Shortcut on or off, rearrange what appears in the main menu, and control which third-party extensions appear in the main menu or submenus. The problem with the context menu was that Microsoft hid locations of familiar commands behind a top row of icons while moving other familiar commands into the “Show more options” submenu. Now, Windows users can customize everything according to their habits.
The original Windows 11 context menu is a disaster.
The original Windows 11 context menu is a disaster.
Credit: Microsoft
The new preview also highlights a new Windows feature called Cloud Rebuild, a recovery option that can reinstall Windows 11 directly from the cloud, even when an existing Windows 11 won’t boot. Cloud Rebuild will pull the Windows 11 image and necessary system drivers directly from Windows Update. Users will not need a custom recovery image or external media to reinstall Windows. However, there is an important distinction to note. Microsoft classifies Cloud Rebuild as a recovery option, but it behaves more like a fresh installation of Windows than a repair, since existing apps and files won’t be included. Those concerned about data security can disinfect entire system drives before reinstalling them. For a full list of improvements coming to Windows 11, including changes to Xbox mode and settings, you can check out Microsoft’s official release announcement.
