Open With Context Menu Item - Add or Remove

How to Add or Remove the "Open with" Context Menu Item in Windows​

   Information

This will show you how to add or remove the Open with right click context menu item of all files in Vista, Windows 7, and Windows 8.

You must be logged in as an administrator to be able to do the steps in this tutorial.

   Note

A default program is the program that Windows uses when you open a particular type of file extension. Open with allows you to change a file type to open with a different default program for just this one time or always using the context menu in Windows.

Removing Open with from the context menu can make it easier to prevent all users on the computer from accidentally have a file extension type assigned a wrong default program to be opened with by default.

EXAMPLE: Open with Context Menu Item for Files




Here's How:
1. To Remove "Open with" from the Context Menu
A) Click/tap on the Download button below to download the file below, and go to step 3 below.
Remove_Open_With.reg

Download


2. To Add "Open with" Back to the Context Menu
NOTE: This is the default setting.
A) Click/tap on the Download button below to download the file below, and go to step 3 below.
Restore_Open_With.reg

Download


3. Save the .reg file to the desktop.

4. Double click/tap on the downloaded .reg file to merge it.

5. When prompted, click/tap on Run, Yes (UAC-Windows 7/8) or Continue (UAC-Vista), Yes, and OK to approve merging the .reg file.

6. You can now delete the downloaded .reg file if you like.

That's it,
Shawn

Related Tutorials

---

• How to Change the Default Program a File Type Opens with in Windows 7
• How to Add or Remove "Always use selected program" in Open with
• How to Have "Always use selected program" Always Checked or Unchecked in "Open with"
• How to Add or Remove "Open with Notepad" from the Context Menu of Files
• How to Clean Up and Remove Programs from the "Open with" Context Menu
• How to Add a Program to "Open with" in Windows 7
• How to Fix "Open with" Opening with Notepad or Error Message
• How to Add "Open with" to Context Menu of URL Files in Windows 7 and Vista
• How to Add "Open with" to Context Menu of BAT Files in Windows 7 and Vista

 

[lvsunz37]

Restore 'Open With' Context Menu Item

My system: Win 7 Pro 64 bit. I'm the Administrator & the only user. I can't get Open With item into Context Menus (not with by The Shift process). I ran Restore_Open_With.reg (Merge), rebooted.
Still no Open With. Would appreciate help. Thank you.

 

[Brink]

Hello Ivsunz37,

What file extension does the file have that you are trying to use Open With on?

Did you mean that you only have Open With if you press and hold Shift when you right click?

 

[lvsunz37]

Restore Context Menu Open With Item

Brink,
I got it to work- rebooted, uninstalled (via System Restore), then re-installed.
Was trying on .bin file extension.
Could not get Open With even when using Shift with rite click.

All seems OK now. Thanks much.

 

[Brink]

That's great news Ivsunz. I'm happy to hear that you got it sorted.

 

[sylvialdgsd]

Fantastic tip, Shawn, thank you!!!
Sylvia

 

[Brink]

You're most welcome Sylvia.

 

[happytony]

Dont have

hello. my site dont have the OPEN WITH. can you help me.
i m using win7.32bit
the key is original in system. and i do try to run the file. but dont right lick dont have.
i want the .url to have right click.
and i do edit the file to .url/shellex ...
after add. the right click not show also. Thanks

 

[Brink]

Hello Tony, and welcome to Seven Forums.

The tutorial below will allow you to add Open with to the context menu of URL files.


http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/190701-url-files-add-open-context-menu.html


Hope this helps,
Shawn

 

[jthib]

How do I view that file?

That .reg file is non-human-readable, how can I decode it to be sure it is not going to harm my computer?

 

[Brink]

Hello jthib, and welcome to Seven Forums.

You can right click on the REG file and click on Edit to see what entries it adds or removes from your registry.

I can guarantee that it will not harm your computer in any way. One REG file will undo the other.

 

[jthib]

Right clicking that file doesn't give the option to edit. It has open with, and it wants to open it with Regedit, which in effect would be the same as running it right? I have looked into .reg files a bit, and they are encoded in utf-16LE. Do you know of any tools to read this format?

 

[Brink]

Jthib,

It sounds like your .reg file associations are not correct. Double check in Default Programs to set the reg file extension to have it's Current Default program set as Registry Editor (C:\Windows\regedit.exe). Afterwards, see if you have a Merge and Edit option when you right click on a REG file.


REG files are nothing more than text files, and require no special tool to read it other than right clicking on it and clicking on Edit to see the contents in notepad.

 

[jthib]

Thanks, I fixed the .reg file association to the registry editor, and it now gives me the option to merge or edit. Selecting edit still gives an "Open File - Security Warning Publisher could not be verified. Are you sure you want to run this software." warning. It is trying to run the file rather then edit or display it.

I am able to view other .reg files in the manner that you describe, however the Restore_Open_With.reg file downloaded has no readable text, its all unreadable hex or perhaps UTF-16LE encoding?

 

[Brink]

It's normal to get the Open File - Security Warning like that when you download a file from the internet or external source. After clicking on Edit, click on Run to have it open in notepad.

Afterwards, you should see this in notepad for the Restore_Open_With.reg file.

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00
 
[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\*\shellex\ContextMenuHandlers\Open With]
@="{09799AFB-AD67-11d1-ABCD-00C04FC30936}"
 
[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\*\shellex\ContextMenuHandlers\Open With EncryptionMenu]
@="{A470F8CF-A1E8-4f65-8335-227475AA5C46}"

 

[jthib]

Thank you Brink.

It doesn't seem to add the "Open With" option for .bat files though, which is why I started looking into this problem in the first place.

 

[Brink]

You're welcome Jthib.

No, it will only restore the defaults for "Open with". The new tutorial below will help you to add "Open with" to the BAT file's context menu.

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/192725-bat-files-add-open-context-menu.html

 

[dav536]

Open with

If I follow your instructions:
(1) I right click and do not get a 'merge' option

 

[Brink]

Hello Dav, and welcome to Seven Forums.

Double check in Default Programs to set the reg file extension to have it's Current Default program set as Registry Editor (C:\Windows\regedit.exe). Afterwards, try merging the REG file again.

Hope this helps,
Shawn

 

[dav536]

Shawn I appreciated your reply. I dowloaded your file to remove Notepad and I followed the steps you
suggested - they seemed to work, including the merg. However when I went to open a text file with 'open with' menu, there was the Notepad option. I wish I could show you what the drop down menu offers me:
- there are 4 recommended programmes, including Notepad, and 9 other programmes. I would like to be able to delete or add to these! That's the problem. (I have Sys7 and generally it seems to work well - but this is definitely a impediment)