How to Enable or Disable Taskbar Context Menus in Windows 10
When you perform one of the actions below, you will see a taskbar context menu.
- Right click or press and hold on the taskbar
- Press and hold Shift while right clicking on an icon on the taskbar
- Right click or press and hold on the Clock system icon on the taskbar
This tutorial will show you how to enable or disable access to taskbar context menus for specific or all users in Windows 10.
You must be signed in as an administrator to enable or disable access to taskbar context menus.
Contents
- Option One: Enable or Disable Taskbar Context Menus in Local Group Policy Editor
- Option Two: Enable or Disable Taskbar Context Menus using a REG file
EXAMPLE: Taskbar context menus
The Local Group Policy Editor is only available in the Windows 10 Pro, Enterprise, and Education editions.
All editions can use Option Two below.
1 Open the all users, specific users or groups, or all users except administrators Local Group Policy Editor for how you want this policy applied.
2 In the left pane of the Local Group Policy Editor, click/tap on to expand User Configuration, Administrative Templates, and Start Menu and Taskbar. (see screenshot below)
3 In the right pane of Start Menu and Taskbar, double click/tap on the Remove access to the context menus for the taskbar policy to edit it. (see screenshot above)
4 Do step 5 (enable) or step 6 (disable) below for what you would like to do.
A) Select (dot) either Not Configured or Disabled, click/tap on OK, and go to step 7 below. (see screenshot below)
Not Configured is the default setting.
7 When finished, you can close the Local Group Policy Editor if you like.
The downloadable .reg files below will add and modify the DWORD value in the registry keys below.
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer
NoTrayContextMenu DWORD
(delete) = Enable
1 = Disable
1 Do step 2 (enable) or step 3 (disable) below for what you would like to do.
This is the default setting.
A) Click/tap on the Download button below to download the file below, and go to step 4 below.
Enable_taskbar_context_menus.reg
Download
A) Click/tap on the Download button below to download the file below, and go to step 4 below.
Disable_taskbar_context_menus.reg
Download
4 Save the .reg file to your desktop.
5 Double click/tap on the downloaded .reg file to merge it.
6 When prompted, click/tap on Run, Yes (UAC), Yes, and OK to approve the merge.
7 Restart the explorer process, or sign out and sign in to apply.
8 You can now delete the downloaded .reg file if you like.
That's it,
Shawn
Related Tutorials
- How to Open Context Menu for Taskbar Icons in Windows 10
- How to Change Height or Width Size of Taskbar in Windows 10
- How to Enable or Disable Context Menus in the Start Menu in Windows 10
- How to Enable or Disable Taskbar Settings in Windows 10
Enable or Disable Taskbar Context Menus in Windows 10
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New #1
I have not changed this setting at all and has been enabled forever. But since updating to the August cumulative update Shift+rightclick on a taskbar item no longer brings up the context menu.
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New #2
Hello @bobsagetfullhou,
[1] What does theREG Keyshow . . .
Code:HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer\NoTrayContextMenu
[2] Have you triedEnablingit to see if it returns?
I hope this helps.
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New #3
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Enable or Disable Taskbar Context Menus in Windows 10
How to Enable or Disable Taskbar Context Menus in Windows 10Published by Shawn BrinkCategory: General Tips
19 Feb 2020
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