Add Applications To The Context Menu

Ever wondered if you could add any application to the context menu on Windows? It maybe the desktop context menu or the explorer's context menu but either way, it makes things easier and quicker. 

Read below to find out how it's done:

This post contains two sections.

1. Adding applications to the explorer's context menu
2. Adding applications to the desktop context menu

1) Adding applications to the explorer's context menu

Let's assume that you use Picasa to view photos. GIF files can't be opened with it. So you want to open them with a different programme like Windows Photo Viewer. You can simply do it with the Properties dialog box but you prefer the hardcore way. Let's use regedit.


Step 1: Launch the Registry Editor

Press Win Key + R to open the Run dialog box, type in regedit and press Enter.
OR
Go to Start Menu -> Windows System -> Run, type in regedit and press Enter.

Step 2 : Select the file type you want

In this post we're choosing gif files. So in the Registry Editor, go to HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT , select .gif and look at its (Default) value. In this case, the default value is giffile.

Step 3 : Configure the key

Head to down to the giffile -> shell key, also under HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT.  Right-click the shell key and create a new key. Name the key what you want the option to appear as in the menu. In this case, I'll name it Open with WPV.

Next, right-click the key you just created and create a new subkey under it. Name the new key command. Double-click the “(Default)” value in the command key and enter the path to the .exe file in the following format: C:\\Program Files\\Windows Photo Viewer\\wpv.exe %1 
Be sure to use the double backslashes and end the path with %1.
By the way Windows Photo Viewer is not there. I couldn't find it.

The option will appear immediately in the context menu.


2) Adding applications to the desktop context menu

The process is very similar to the above one. Use the HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT -> DesktopBackground -> shell key to have a shortcut appear when you right-click the desktop. 
The only difference is, you don't have to include the % part.

At last, you should know that Neptune takes 164.79 years to make one orbit around the Sun, which means that since it's discovery in 1846, it has only completed one orbit.