Windows 11 File Explorer Right-click Menu was changed to include icons

Anonymous
2021-12-06T15:53:47+00:00

Who did this and why do they do it (see picture below)? The File Explorer right-click menu has had the options: Cut, Copy, Paste, Rename, Delete listed (as words) in this menu FOREVER and now some genius decided that after all these years, Windows users are too dumb to read. The words were replaced with icons. THIS IS SO ANNOYING. THE MUSCLE MEMORY IN MY HANDS IS ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE TO RETRAIN AFTER YEARS OF THE MENU BEING THE SAME WAY. Now I have to stop and think about something that I've done instinctively for years. I can get to the ORIGINAL right-click menu by selecting "Show More Options," shown in the photo below, but WHY SHOULD I HAVE TO, THAT'S AN EXTRA STEP? If I am intelligent enough to boot up a computer, then certainly I can read the words: Cut, Copy, Paste, Rename and Delete. I don't need you to create icons to represent those functions. IF IT'S NOT BROKEN THEN DON'T TRY TO FIX IT. STOP DUMBING DOWN THE SOFTWARE AND MAKING THINGS HARDER PLEASE.

Windows for home | Windows 11 | Files, folders, and storage

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

166 answers

Sort by: Most helpful
Most helpful Newest Oldest
  1. Anonymous
    2024-12-13T19:47:27+00:00

    Agreed. And as somebody that READS the word much faster than my brain can comprehend the random little icon/symbol that they use, it frustrates me to no end that I have to read the hieroglyphics now instead of just clicking the worde "paste".

    Was this answer helpful?

    2 people found this answer helpful.
    0 comments
  2. Anonymous
    2023-05-22T15:40:38+00:00

    Whoever decided to make copy and paste, rename etc. a 2 step process should be fired. How stupid is this.

    Was this answer helpful?

    1 person found this answer helpful.
    0 comments
  3. Anonymous
    2023-04-14T11:51:22+00:00

    I agree Stephen. It is so irritating to be made to jump through an extra hurdle in things like copy, paste, rename and create shorcut, all of which I use more frequently than the list of options that are displayed with a right mouse click. At the very least, Microsoft should provide functionality whereby the user can set which options he/she wants displayed in the first dialog following a right mouse click i.e. in a similar manner to the user having the ability to select which columns are displayed in Windows Explorer

    Was this answer helpful?

    1 person found this answer helpful.
    0 comments
  4. Anonymous
    2023-01-21T07:23:58+00:00

    Nah, what is annoying is those who want that everything remain the same

    Are you kidding me? This is the most hideous f****** thing I've ever had the displeasure of using in over 40 years of computer use.

    Was this answer helpful?

    1 person found this answer helpful.
    0 comments
  5. Anonymous
    2022-09-12T20:30:49+00:00

    Not sure which part you need, but it shows Windows 11 Pro, version is 21H2.

    Also says OS Build: 22000.795 and Windows Feature Experience Pack 1000.22000.795.0

    Our IT group has just started giving out replacement laptops with Windows 11 so there are just a handful of us as guinea pigs.

    Was this answer helpful?

    1 person found this answer helpful.
    0 comments