Windows 11 November Update Brings a Customizable Right Click Menu

The Windows 11 November update arrives with the November 10, 2026 Patch Tuesday release and brings a long requested fix to the right click menu: you can finally choose which commands it shows. Microsoft previewed the changes in KB5127936, an optional update released on October 28 for Windows 11 versions 25H2 and 26H2, which also adds a Cloud rebuild recovery option that reinstalls Windows without a USB drive.

Patch Tuesday is Microsoft's monthly security update day, held on the second Tuesday of each month, and most Windows 11 PCs install that release automatically. According to the KB5127936 release notes on Microsoft Support, the new features use a gradual rollout, which means they reach devices in phases, so your PC may not show everything on day one even after the update installs.

What changes in the right click menu?

Microsoft says the File Explorer context menu is now "faster, simpler, and more customizable." App extensions move into a separate submenu, and a new Customize menu link at the bottom of the menu opens a dedicated Settings page. You can also reach it through Settings, Personalization, Context menu.

• Turn built in commands such as Send to and Create shortcut on or off.
• Add commands such as Print.
• Choose which app extensions appear in the main menu or the submenu, or hide the submenu entirely.
• Show Cut, Copy, Paste, Rename, Delete and Share as text entries instead of a row of icons.
• Move Properties to the bottom of the menu, where it sat in Windows 10.

Nothing changes if you leave the defaults alone, and holding Shift while you right click still opens the full legacy menu. That matters because the trimmed Windows 11 menu has pushed many users to a second "Show more options" click, or to registry tweaks that bring back the Windows 10 menu, since launch.

How does Cloud rebuild work?

Cloud rebuild reinstalls Windows 11 with an image and drivers downloaded from Windows Update, even when the PC can't start. You launch it from Settings, System, Recovery, Rebuild PC, or from WinRE (the Windows Recovery Environment that loads after repeated boot failures) under Troubleshoot, Recovery and uninstall. It wipes apps, settings and local files, and the "remove and sanitize" option uses the drive's own secure erase, which can't be undone. We cover the full process in our guide to reinstalling Windows 11 without a USB drive.

There is a catch. Windows Central found in its testing that Cloud rebuild depends on Windows Update having the right network and storage drivers for your hardware, and the process failed inside a virtual machine. WinRE can now reuse Wi-Fi networks already saved in Windows, which removes one common hurdle.

What else is in the Windows 11 November update?

Feature	What it does
AutoPlay	Redesigned dialog with dark mode for phones, cameras and drives
File Explorer	Cleaner search results, ~ shortcut to your profile folder, dark Folder Options
Xbox mode	Gaming Task View bar with Exit to Desktop and Power Options
Magnifier	Per monitor zoom, view lock with Ctrl + Windows + K, dark contrast theme
Narrator	Reads and navigates math equations in Word, PowerPoint, Edge and Chrome
Microsoft Edge	Faster launch for version 150 and later

Phone Link also lets you preview a recent message by hovering over it in Start, while the Privacy and security page now groups camera, microphone and location controls. These additions build on recent changes such as the Windows 11 search update that can call your phone.

Should you install it now or wait?

To get the preview today, open Settings, Windows Update, turn on "Get the latest updates as soon as they're available," then check for updates. Microsoft still lists a known issue from the September 8 security update: some USB Audio Class 1.0 devices fail with a Code 10 error or produce no sound. If you rely on an older USB audio device, check the release notes before updating.

Our Take

The customizable menu fixes one of the most criticized parts of Windows 11, and it does so without forcing a new layout on anyone. With Patch Tuesday arriving on November 10, most people gain little by installing the optional preview early. Cloud rebuild is a real step up for recovery, but test it on a spare machine before you count on it, and keep a USB installer as a backup. For older PCs, our look at how Windows 11 is getting faster on 8GB RAM machines shows where Microsoft's other performance work is heading.