Fix right click issues on Windows 10

In Windows 10, you may encounter an issue where the right-click action does not work (or rather, the context menu does not appear). In some cases, right-clicking on the mouse works very erratically.

The following article will guide you through the steps to fix this problem. It is important to ensure that all system files are intact and not corrupted before proceeding with the solutions below.

1. Turn off Tablet Mode

The failure of the right-click function can stem directly from the Tablet Mode being enabled on your computer. You cannot perform most right-click operations while in this mode. There are several ways to disable Tablet Mode on a Windows 10 PC.

Refer to: Enable/Disable Tablet Mode on Windows 10 for detailed instructions.

2. Use Shell Extension Manager for Windows

The right click problem is also sometimes caused by third party extensions on the context menu. There is a tool that can help you get rid of these extensions effectively without much effort.

Step 1: Download Shell Extension Manager.

http://www.nirsoft.net/utils/shexview.html

B2: After the download is complete, launch the application using the keyboard ( Shift+ F10) and then select “ Run as administrator ”. No installation is required here.

B3: On the menu that appears, select Options . Click Filter by Extension Type , then select Context Menu.

Fix right click issues on Windows 10
Click Filter by Extension Type, then select Context Menu

B4: A list will be displayed. Note the items with pink background. These are items installed by 3rd party software.

B5: Press and hold the key CTRL, then click all the items with pink background. In the left corner, click the red button to disable all.

B6: Again in Options , restart Explorer.

B7: Right-click on the desktop and see if the problem is resolved. If the problem is gone, start enabling 3rd party extensions one by one.

If the right-click issue occurs again, it is most likely caused by the most recent 3rd party extension you enabled. Disable that extension or completely uninstall its parent software/program if necessary.

3. Execute DISM commands

The health of the drive may be problematic, causing the right-click operation to not work on the computer. Therefore, you need to perform a check and repair with DISM commands. The detailed instructions have been mentioned by Quantrimang.com in the article: How to repair Windows 10 image with DISM .

Once the process is complete, check to see if the problem persists.

4. Run SFC scan

It is possible that a certain driver or “.dll” file is missing or corrupted. Therefore, in this step, you will need to initiate an SFC scan to check and fix this issue.

Tip : If the problem occurs with your computer or laptop/notebook, you should try using Restoro Repair , a tool that can scan the repositories and replace corrupted or missing files.

Refer to the article: Using the SFC command to fix Windows 10 system file errors for details on how to do it.

5. Delete Registry Entries

Sometimes, the error is fixed simply by deleting some registry entries. If the registry settings are corrupted or misconfigured, they can prevent certain components of the operating system from working properly. To fix this:

B1: Click Win+ Rto open Run.

B2: Type Regedit and press Enterto open Registry Editor .

B3: Navigate to the following path:

HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Directory\Background\shellex\ContextMenuHandlers\NvCplDesktopContext
Fix right click issues on Windows 10
Navigate to the above path

B4: Delete all folders, except:

  • FileSyncEx
  • New
  • Sharing
  • WorkFolders

B5: Right-click on any folder except those indicated above and select Delete from the list to delete them.

Fix right click issues on Windows 10
Select Delete from the list to delete

WARNING : During the above steps, the desktop may disappear and you will be left with nothing to work with in the remaining processes. If this happens, just press Ctrl+ Alt+ Del. In Task Manager, select the File tab > Run a new task , then type explorer.exe. The desktop will appear immediately.

6. Uninstall/Disable conflicting applications

There are applications that are known to cause the right click error under discussion. These third party applications often control HID and sometimes they get into a buggy state that causes loss of functionality. In that case, uninstalling/disabling these applications can resolve the issue. Here is a list of such applications:

  • HP Display Control (PdiShellExt.dll )
  • Symantec System Recovery
  • 7zip
  • WinZip

If you have any of these applications installed, disable or uninstall and reinstall them. You may also consider booting your computer into Safe Mode to diagnose the problem.

7. Update driver

Drivers are the key components that connect your hardware and operating system. If any of your drivers are corrupted or outdated, updating them to the latest version can fix the problem. Drivers often become corrupted due to a faulty Windows update or become outdated if they are not updated along with a Windows update.

Reference: 5 basic ways to update computer drivers to know how to do it in detail.

If none of these methods help, then perform a system restore or reset Windows . But before doing anything, make sure that the mouse is not faulty.

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