On Windows operating systems, the CTRL + A keyboard shortcut is a familiar and quick way to select all files or folders within a given directory or even on the Desktop. Yet, for those who may not be fond of this keyboard-centric approach, there exists an alternative. Specifically, on Windows 11 and 10, users have the option to add a “Select all” function directly to the right-click context menu. This addition can be especially useful for those who rely more heavily on their mouse or touchpad. By making a simple registry adjustment, this feature can be added to both the folder background and the desktop context menu. In this risewindows guide, we will walk you through the steps to both add and subsequently remove the “Select all” option from the Windows 11 or 10 context menu.
How to Add the “Select all” Option to the Windows 11 or 10 Context Menu?
Do these steps to add the “Select all” option to Windows 11 or 10 Context Menu:-
Step 1. Open a Notepad file.
To do that, click on the Start button and type Notepad. Click on the Notepad in the search results.
Step 2. Copy and paste the following in the Notepad file:-
Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00
[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Directory\Background\shell\Windows.selectall]
"CanonicalName"="{b33bf5af-76d5-4d10-93e7-d8e22e93798f}"
"CommandStateHandler"="{3756e7f5-e514-4776-a32b-eb24bc1efe7a}"
"CommandStateSync"=""
"Description"="@shell32.dll,-31277"
"Icon"="imageres.dll,-5308"
"ImpliedSelectionModel"=dword:00000020
"MUIVerb"="@shell32.dll,-31276"
"Position"="Bottom"
"NeverDefault"=""
[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Directory\Background\shell\Windows.selectall\command]
"DelegateExecute"="{aa28fbc7-59f1-4c42-9fd8-ba2be27ea319}"
Step 3. Click on the File menu to choose Save as option.
Step 4. Then, select a location to save your file. Name the file as selectall.reg. Select All files in the “Save as type” drop-down menu. At last, hit the Save button.
Step 5. Now, you’ll find a new file with selectall.reg name in your specified location.
Step 6. Double-click on this file and click the Yes button when prompted.
Step 7. Hit OK.
Finally, the “Select all” option will appear in the Windows 11 or 10 context menu when you right-click on a blank space in a folder or the desktop.
How to Remove the “Select all” Option from Windows 11 or 10 Context Menu?
Do these steps to remove the “Select all” option from Windows 11 or 10 context menu:-
Step 1. Open a Notepad file.
Step 2. Copy and paste the following on the Notepad file:-
Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00 [-HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Directory\Background\shell\Windows.selectall]
Step 3. Then, click on the File menu and select Save as option.
Step 4. Select a location to save your file in the “Save as” dialog. Name the file as removeselectall.reg. Select All files in the “Save as type” drop-down menu. At last, hit the Save button.
Step 5. When you’re done, you’ll find a new file with removeselectall.reg name in your specified location.
Step 6. Double-click on this file and hit the Yes button when prompted.
Step 7. Hit OK.
Finally, the “Select all” option will disappear from the Windows 11 or 10 context menu. When you right-click on a blank space in a folder or on the desktop after performing the above steps, you will not find the “Select all” option in the context menu.
Conclusion
In this guide, we’ve detailed the steps to add a “Select all” option directly to the right-click context menu in Windows 11 and 10, providing a handy alternative for those who prefer mouse-based operations over keyboard shortcuts. We also covered the process to remove the same function if needed. By making these tweaks in the registry through a Notepad file, users can customize their context menu to better align with their usage habits.
