Windows Content Menu Manager

A VS Code extension for Windows to add or remove Explorer context menu entries for:

• files (*)
• folders (Directory)
• folder background (Directory\\Background)

Features

• Add "Open with Code" to the Windows Explorer right-click context menu for files, folders, and folder background.
• Remove the context menu entries with a single command.
• Check whether the entries are currently installed.
• Switch between the Windows 11 default context menu and the classic context menu style.
• All registry changes are written under HKCU — no administrator privileges required.

Commands

• Windows Content Menu Manager: Add Explorer Entries
  • Adds registry entries under HKCU\\Software\\Classes.
  • No administrator privileges are required.
• Windows Content Menu Manager: Remove Explorer Entries
  • Deletes the entries added by this extension.
• Windows Content Menu Manager: Check Explorer Entries Status
  • Checks whether file, folder, and folder-background entries are fully installed.
• Windows Content Menu Manager: Use Windows Classic Menu Style
  • Enables the Windows classic context menu style on Windows 11.
  • May require restarting Explorer to take effect.
• Windows Content Menu Manager: Use Windows 11 Default Menu Style
  • Restores the Windows 11 default context menu style.
  • May require restarting Explorer to take effect.

Registry Paths

Open with Code entries

When adding entries, the extension writes:

• HKCU\\Software\\Classes\\*\\shell\\OpenWithCode — files
• HKCU\\Software\\Classes\\Directory\\shell\\OpenWithCode — folders
• HKCU\\Software\\Classes\\Directory\\Background\\shell\\OpenWithCode — folder background

Each key includes an Icon value and a command subkey that runs the current VS Code executable.

Windows 11 classic menu style

When switching to the classic context menu style, the extension writes:

• HKCU\\Software\\Classes\\CLSID\\{86ca1aa0-34aa-4e8b-a509-50c905bae2a2}\\InprocServer32

When restoring the Windows 11 default menu style, the extension deletes:

• HKCU\\Software\\Classes\\CLSID\\{86ca1aa0-34aa-4e8b-a509-50c905bae2a2}