The desktop right-click menu, otherwise known as the desktop context menu, provides instant access to numerous useful options ranging from aligning desktop icons to customizing display settings. And if you are a long-time Windows user, the means to obsessively refresh the desktop!
Usually, the context menu shows up within a fraction of a second after right-clicking. On certain PCs, however, there’s a strange bug where the menu in fact takes substantially much longer — around 3-5 seconds — to display on screen.
Needless to say, it’s maddening when that happens, especially if you use the menu a lot.
SO WHY DOES THIS HAPPEN?
The context menu lags when it has graphics extensions added to it after installing NVIDIA, AMD, or Intel display drivers. If you see Graphics Properties and Graphics Options (Intel), NVIDIA Control Panel, or AMD Catalyst Control Center listed within the context menu, you now know why.
These items are usually present just for the sake of it and are rarely used for everyday purposes. Hence, you can safely remove them from the context menu and get rid of the issue altogether. But how can you do that?
You have two options; use a third-party utility called ShellExView to identify and disable the additional context menu entries, or use the built-in Registry Editor to achieve the same effect.
ShellExView provides a distinct advantage where you can easily re-enable the graphics options should you need them later. But if you want to remove the extensions permanently and aren’t afraid to mess around with some registry keys, then resort to using the Registry Editor. Needless to say, you should have all your important data on the computer backed up online or on an external drive before proceeding with editing Registry.Â
USING SHELLEXVIEW
ShellExView is a super-convenient application that lets you disable unnecessary bloat from context menus fast. And don’t worry, it’s completely free to use.
To start off with, simply download ShellExView using the Download button below. Note that the download page lets you select from between an installer, a ZIP file, and a X64 ZIP file.
The installer lets you install ShellExView as a normal application, while both ZIP files contain an executable file that you can use to directly launch the program upon unzipping.NOTE: When opting for the ZIP files, remember to get the normal ZIP file (listed as Download ShellExView in Zip file) if you run a 32-bit version of Windows 10.
After downloading, launch ShellExView and wait for a few seconds while it detects your context menu extensions. Depending on your graphics card, proceed by following the instructions as listed below.
Intel
Intel has two extensions on the context menu, namely Graphics Options and Graphics Properties. Therefore, you need to disable the following entries:
TheDeskTopContextMenu Class (Type: Context Menu)
TheDeskTopContextMenu Class (Type: Property Sheet)
NVIDIA
NVIDIA graphics drivers insert the NVIDIA Control Panel extension. Disable the following entry to get rid of it:
NVIDIA CPL Context Menu Extension
AMD
AMD features the AMD Catalyst Control Center extension, and the following entry lets you disable it:
SimpleShlExt Class (Description: AMD Desktop Control Panel)
That’s it! Simply restart your PC for the changes to take effect, and the desktop right-click menu should load with no delays whatsoever.NOTE: Certain PCs may have a combination of integrated Intel graphics and a separate NVIDIA or AMD graphics card. In that case, you should find extensions for both graphics chipsets on the desktop context menu. Try disabling the Intel extensions first, and if that doesn’t resolve the issue, go for the NVIDIA or AMD extensions next.
If you want to re-enable the extensions later, simply open ShellExView, right-click the disabled item, and then click Enable Selected Items.
By: Guiding Tech