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

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  1. Anonymous
    2023-07-13T18:57:19+00:00

    Can we get an answer from Microsoft on why senseless UI changes like this are made?

    If they are necessary then how about have a professional version with no desktop ads/"interests", no cortana/clippy/AI, no cloud as a default option, No thumbnails over minimized items, no combined by default taskbar? I'd pay extra for that. You nailed UI with Window XP and Windows 7. At least give us a theme that switches half this cell phone UI stuff off. It doesn't work. Try renaming your computer using the blue menu. Does not work. The "advanced system settings" way that does work is now hidden under this dysfunctional mess. Seems like companies don't listen to the customer post pandemic.

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  2. Anonymous
    2023-07-13T16:09:24+00:00

    I agree! It's a classic case of implementing a change just for the sake of implementing a change instead of for a valid reason.

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  3. Anonymous
    2023-07-05T19:42:26+00:00

    I'm glad I'm not the only one that found this annoying. I upgraded to 11 finally and went to do my normal routine and took me a few minutes just to find the paste icon. My brain was registering it as the window/menu title thingy. I tried to cut/paste my file again thinking I missed the cut part.

    I realize it's a minor change but really? after decades? ...and the rest of the right-click menu is the same... there was no reason to change it.

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  4. Anonymous
    2023-06-29T02:55:56+00:00

    This is the Peter Principle in action.

    What I really don't get is why they don't just build it so that people can simply lay it out however works best for them? They they don't have to think yet still can't get it wrong.

    Explorer++ has been able to do this since, um, arounf 2006 maybe?

    Granted, it's not nearly as pretty, but since it's 2023 and MS is just now choosing to give us a tabbed explorer that has been around for 20+ years.

    I really do have a rocky relationship with MS. They do a lot of fantastic things. Occasionally they even surprise me.

    Then out of nowhere, for no reason that can be discerned, they fly off the reservation and engage in "Nonsense without Purpose". And that requires a lot of work and failt to put any thought into it at all. do things like make yet another file manager that still needs to overwrite and update every single thumbnail each time you open a folder.

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  5. Anonymous
    2023-06-07T16:18:56+00:00

    I think its the 'Development Dept' justifying their salaries by appearing to improve stuff.
    I saw it a lot in the military where especially junior officers thought changing 'something' was a better career move than 'thinking'.

    Of course us enlisted loved them more than time itself.

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