Menu Bar - Turn On or Off

How to Turn the Menu Bar On or Off in Windows 7​

   Information

This will show you how to turn the Menu Bar on or off in Windows 7 for Windows Explorer, Internet Explorer, Firefox, and Windows Media Player. The Menu bar is turned off by default in Windows 7.

   Tip

The Menu Bar includes the File, Edit, View, Favorites (In IE only), Tools, and Help menu items.

Pressing the ALT key will temporarily display the Menu Bar as well. You can then press ALT + the underlined letter of the menu item. For example ALT + F to open the File menu etc....

   Note

The N and KN editions of Windows 7 have all the features that normally come with each individual Windows 7 edition, except for Windows Media Player 12 and related programs, such as Windows Media Center or Windows DVD Maker.

The N editions of Windows 7 allow you to choose your own media player and software required to manage and play CDs, DVDs, and other digital media files. If you choose to use Windows Media Player 12, downloading it, along with related software, is free. Download Media Feature Pack for Windows 7 N with Service Pack 1 and Windows 7 KN with Service Pack 1 (KB968211) from Official Microsoft Download Center

EXAMPLE: Menu Bar Turned On and Off in Windows Explorer



EXAMPLE: Menu Bar Turned On and Off in Internet Explorer

OPTION ONE

Turn Menu Bar On or Off in "Windows Explorer"

1. Through the Organize Toolbar Button A) Open a Windows Explorer Window.

B) Click on the Organize button and Layout. (See screenshot below)

C) To Turn On the Menu Bar - Click on Menu Bar to check it.

D) To Turn Off the Menu Bar - Click on Menu Bar to uncheck it.
2. Through Folder Options A) Open Folder Options and click on the View tab. (See screenshot below)

B) To Turn On the Menu Bar - Check the Always show menus box.

C) To Turn Off the Menu Bar - Uncheck the Always show menus box.

D) Click on OK.
3. Using a REG File Download
A) To Add the Windows Explorer Menu Bar

• Click on the download button below to download the file below.

Add_Menu_Bar.reg

Download

• Go to step 3C.

B) To Remove the Windows Explorer Menu Bar

• Click on the download button below to download the file below.

Remove_Menu_Bar.reg

Download


C) Click on Save, and save the .reg file to the Desktop.

D) Right click on the downloaded .reg file and click Merge.

E) Click on Run, Yes (UAC), Yes, and then OK when prompted.

F) Log off and log on, or restart the computer to apply the changes.

G) When done, you can delete the downloaded .reg file if you like.
4. Through the Local Group Policy Editor
NOTE: This option will override the options above. A) Open the all users, specific users or groups, or all users except administrators Local Group Policy Editor for how you want this policy applied.

B) In the left pane, click on to expand User Configuration, Administrative Templates, Windows Components, and Windows Explorer. (see screenshot below)
C) In the right pane, right click on Display the menu bar in Windows Explorer and click on Edit. (see screenshot above)




D) To Always Display the Windows Explorer Menu Bar

• Select (dot) Enabled. (see screenshot below step 4F)

E) To Not Always Display the Windows Explorer Menu Bar

• Select (dot) either Not Configured or Disabled. (see screenshot below step 4F)
  NOTE: Not Configured is the default setting.

F) Click on OK. (see screenshot below)
G) Close the Local Group Policy Editor window.

OPTION TWO

Turn Menu Bar On or Off in "Internet Explorer"

1. Open Internet Explorer.

2. Right click on a empty area on the tab bar area. (See red box in screenshot below)
3. To Turn On the Menu Bar in Internet Explorer A) Click on Menu Bar to check it.
4. To Turn Off the Menu Bar in Internet Explorer A) Click on Menu Bar to uncheck it.
5. To Force the Menu Bar to Always be On or Off in Internet Explorer A) For how, see: How to Force Internet Explorer to Always Have the Menu Bar Turned On or Off by Default

OPTION THREE

Turn Menu Bar On or Off in "Windows Media Player"

1. Open Windows Media Player.


2. Using a Keyboard Shortcut A) You can press CTRL+M to toggle turning the Menu Bar on or off.
3. From the Tab Bar A) Right click on a empty area on the tab bar area. (See screenshot below)
B) To Turn On the Menu Bar

• Click on Menu Bar to check it.

C) To Turn Off the Menu Bar

• Click on Menu Bar to uncheck it.

3. From the Organize Toolbar Item A) Click on Organize on the toolbar, and select Layout. (See screenshot below)
B) To Turn On the Menu Bar

• Click on Show menu bar to check it.

C) To Turn Off the Menu Bar

• Click on Show menu bar to uncheck it.

OPTION FOUR

Turn Menu Bar On or Off in "Firefox"

1. Open Firefox.

2. Right click on a empty area to the right of the tabs. (see screenshot below)
3. To Turn On the Menu Bar in Firefox A) Click on Menu Bar to check it.
4. To Turn Off the Menu Bar in Firefox A) Click on Menu Bar to uncheck it.
That's it,
Shawn

Related Tutorials

---

• How to Speed up the Menu Show Delay Time in Windows 7
• How to Set Windows 7 Menus to Open to the Left or Right Side
• How to Add or Remove the Windows 7 Internet Explorer Command Bar
• How to Change the Size of the Windows 7 Explorer Address and Search Bar
• How to Turn the Navigation Pane On or Off in Windows 7
• How to Turn the Details Pane On or Off in Windows 7
• How to Turn the Preview Pane On or Off in Windows 7
• How to Turn the Library Pane On or Off in Windows 7
• How to Turn the Windows Explorer Status Bar On or Off in Windows 7
• How to Force Internet Explorer to Always Have the Menu Bar Turned On or Off by Default
• How to Put the Menu Bar Always on Top in Internet Explorer
• How to Restore or Remove "File" from the Windows Explorer Menu Bar
• How to Move Stop and Refresh Buttons to Left or Right of Address Bar in IE9 and IE10
• How to Turn the Command Bar On or Off in IE9 and IE10
• How to Customize the Commmand Bar in Internet Explorer 9

 

[Abhimanyu]

You can also press alt to open it.

 

[Brink]

Thank you Abhimanyu for reminding me of this. It has been added.

Shawn

 

[MihaiS]

Please help me.

Hello!

Mr. Shawn, is there a way to move the menu bar above the address bar?

Thank you!

 

[Brink]

Hello MihaiS, and welcome to Seven Forums.

You can do this to have the Menu Bar on top in Internet Explorer 8, but I have not found a way yet for Windows Explorer.

Internet Explorer Menu Bar - Vista Forums

Hope this helps,
Shawn

 

[MihaiS]

Thank you.

I have Googled a lot and could only find solutions for IE, just like your tutorial. Too bad we can't bring back most of the XP stuff.

 

[cdb]

Thank you! I have been searching everywhere for how to remove the toolbar with the "Organize" button. See the following screen shot of the OP for reference.
http://www.sevenforums.com/attachments/tutorials/584d1226699456-menu-bar-turn-off-we_disabled.jpg
Thanks in advance!

 

[Brink]

Hello CDB, and welcome to Seven Forums.

While the Menu bar can be turned on and off, the toolbar in Windows Explorer cannot be.

Sorry,
Shawn

 

[JhonQ]

Hey, can you herlp me?
I have no "Menu Bar" option under "Layout". In Windows Explorer (Win7 64bits comp. 7600)
Folder options is not like your. Is like my old WinXP. It doesn´t have "Allways show menu" option.
I have Admin type count.
When in other limited counts, the option "Menu Bar" appears.
What´s wrong?

 

[Brink]

Hello JhonQ, and welcome to Seven Forums.

As a test, create a new adminstrator account to see if it may be available in it.

 

[JhonQ]

I did it!. It works fine again.
But, How can I repair my other account?, or, How can I move my profile to this new account?
(Sorry by my english, I know I´m kicking it)

 

[Brink]

JHonQ,

That's great news.

You can copy all of the contents of your old account's C:\Users\(user-name) folders into the corresponding new account's C:\Users\(user-name) folders to copy over your old account's settings and shortcuts. After everything checks out ok, you can delete the old account from within the new one.

 

[JhonQ]

Actually, it was rhe way didi it, but I'd like to use my old Username.
I will search how to change my username.
Thanks a lot.

 

[Brink]

You're welcome JohnQ.

 

[windowspitu]

I've tried both ways but somehow it didn't work, still got the menu bar turned on...

 

[Brink]

Hello Windowspitu, and welcome to Seven Forums.

For what window type (ex: Windows Explorer, Open as type windows, etc....) or program is this for?

 

[windowspitu]

I mean like this one, I already uncheck it, also on the folder option,

 

[Brink]

Windowspitu,

This will set a Group Policy to disable and remove the Menu bar in Windows Explorer. You can use the REG downloads below to make it easier if you like.


http://www.vistax64.com/tutorials/92073-menu-bar.html

 

[jhgenius01]

yeah something in my windows 7 professional computer must've been configured incorrectly. First i tried turning it off through organise -> layout but the menu bar option wasn't there! then i tried folder options and found that the optoin for always show menus wasnt there! then i tried the regs and it didn't work. I kept searching solutoins for it, i found one that allowed you to make your own reg files for it. so i created the removemenubar reg (im not sure if it's the same as your one, i haven't checked in notepad) restarted. Didnt work!!!

HOwever when i went to organise -> layout, the menu bar option was there! i clicked it and no effect, but i checked it and it now didn't have a tick next to it! tried it again, tick went off but the menu bar still there. Also i went to folder options and saw that the always show menus options had suddenly appeared! (it was already off!) i checked it, ended process explorer.exe, restarted the process and nothing worked! i tried by unchecking it again and repeating, nothing worked!!! so i have tried all the solutoins but there must be more because im sure that something is configured hidden in the registry somewhere (damn registry!!!) that configures the menu bar to always stay on! any help?

Also I should say how it got there. Originally it was off. then I found the option for menu bar some day and clicked it. Now i want it off and now it ignores me. It's like it's on permanetly but im sure there is some setting in the registry that fixes it. Help!

 

[Brink]

Hello Jason,

Did you restart the computer after applying the REG files?

Did you try the group policy option above your post to see if that may help?

Hope this helps for now,
Shawn