Right click 'Open With' Command missing. Help Please.

Anonymous
2009-09-21T20:08:24+00:00

I realised a few days ago that the right click context menu 'open with' command is missing. However its there at the top of the window on the 'menu bar' or whatever.

Not sure how it happened. Maybe when i installed MS .Net Framework 3 SP1 or maybe when I cleaned registry with CCleaner.

I need to get it back please. Could u tell me how??? thanks.

Windows for home | Previous Windows versions | Accessibility

Locked Question. This question was migrated from the Microsoft Support Community. You can vote on whether it's helpful, but you can't add comments or replies or follow the question.

0 comments
Answer accepted by question author
Anonymous
2009-09-22T12:20:29+00:00

Hi, scurvy:

By design, the Open With menu option is not available when you right-click executable files (.cmd, .bat, .pif, .scf, .exe, .com, or .scr), or shortcuts to executable files.

If you've lost the Open With menu option for ALL file types, including non-executable files, follow this steps:

  1. Click Start, All Programs, Accesories, Notepad.
  2. Copy and paste this text:

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\*\shellex\ContextMenuHandlers\Open With]

@="{09799AFB-AD67-11d1-ABCD-00C04FC30936}"

  1. Click File, Save As, name the file "OpenWith.reg" (WITH THE QUOTATION MARKS) and click OK.
  2. Now double-click OpenWith.reg, click Continue, Yes, OK, and see if the problem is solved.

P.S: My personal advice is not to use ANY registry cleaner on the system.

Microsoft MVP Windows Desktop Experience

Was this answer helpful?

100+ people found this answer helpful.
0 comments

100 additional answers

Sort by: Oldest
Most helpful Newest Oldest
  1. Anonymous
    2015-10-26T15:33:46+00:00

    Thank you for your response.  Before I take the trouble and risk of messing with the registry,  please clarify whether this only addresses the problem of "open with" being gone for all types, or if this will solve the problem of "open with" not being available for SELECTED file types. 

    To be clear: I want "open with" to be available for ALL files.  (Hey, it's my computer, isn't it?  I want to be able to tell it what software to run.)

    If the fix you posted won't work on ALL file types, is there another fix?  (Other than running Linux, I mean.)

    Any help would be much appreciated, thanks.

    Was this answer helpful?

    0 comments
  2. Anonymous
    2016-01-27T00:21:17+00:00

    Registry change made successfully.

    No errors to registry change in Win10.

    Still no sign of "Open With" with a right click on an outlook email attachment.

    Additionally, no "Open With" on any older emails with attachments.

    btw: i changed the default pdf file to Adobe Reader but Win10 is still defaulting to MS Edge. blah.....

    help appreciated...

    Was this answer helpful?

    0 comments
  3. Anonymous
    2016-02-19T20:10:34+00:00

    You can just open 7zip and then manually select the file. Then open it.

    Was this answer helpful?

    0 comments
  4. Anonymous
    2016-03-02T09:46:34+00:00

    it doesn't work for me

    Was this answer helpful?

    0 comments