New Windows 11 update fixes File Explorer menu mess – and patches an exploited flaw

ZDNET’s cardinal takeaways

• You tin present customize the right-click paper successful Windows 11.
• The caller Cloud rebuild tin retrieve Windows if it won’t load.
• The caller update supports lone Windows 11 25H2 and 26H2.

Windows 11 users who’ve struggled to navigate and usage the right-click paper successful File Explorer present yet person immoderate relief. With the November Patch Tuesday Windows update, you’re present capable to customize the paper to adhd and region circumstantial commands and apps truthful that lone your favorites appear.

As usual, the monthly update is mandatory, which means it should automatically download and instal connected your PC. To check, caput to Settings and prime Windows Update. If the latest update — labeled “2026-11 Security Update (KB5132061) (26300.9974)” -– pops up arsenic installed with a pending restart, conscionable reboot your computer. Otherwise, click the fastener to cheque for updates and let it to download and install.

Also: You tin alteration Windows settings straight from a hunt now

One caveat: Microsoft’s monthly updates afloat enactment Windows 11 26H2 and 25H2. But enactment for 24H2 ended past month, astatine slightest for the Home and Pro editions. Windows 11 24H2 Enterprise and Education volition proceed to get monthly information updates, though not regular non-security preview updates, portion Windows 11 23H2 Enterprise and Education volition person nary much updates aft this month.

File Explorer gets a customizable right-click menu

First and foremost successful the latest update is the caller customizable right-click menu.

The context-sensitive right-click paper is simply a useful mode to rapidly entree cardinal settings, features, and apps, some successful File Explorer and connected the desktop. But there’s ever been a flaw successful its basal design. The much apps you install, the much cluttered and disorganized the paper becomes. That was particularly problematic successful erstwhile versions of Windows. The old-style, classical paper would turn truthful agelong that it would beryllium hard to navigate and fto you find the point you wanted.

With Windows 11, Microsoft introduced a much modern and pared-down menu. But this mentation tin besides get crowded. Plus, it whitethorn not show each bid you need, truthful you often person to revert to the older classical menu. You’re past stuck dealing with 2 abstracted versions of the aforesaid menu, starring to an adjacent much confusing and cumbersome experience.

Also: Windows 11 tin tally amended connected PCs with 8GB now, Microsoft says

The perfect solution is simply a paper that you tin customize yourself, and that’s what we present have, astatine slightest that’s what is present rolling out. Microsoft calls this 1 a gradual rollout, which means you whitethorn oregon whitethorn not get it close away.

To spot if and however this is available, unfastened File Explorer and right-click connected a folder oregon file. If the caller paper has reached your PC, you’ll spot an introduction for Customize menu. Select that to presumption each the disposable options for tweaking it. Alternatively, caput to Settings, prime Personalization, and past click the introduction for Context menu.

There, you’re capable to crook definite record actions connected oregon off, specified arsenic Send to, Print, Create shortcut, Copy arsenic path, and Rotate image. You tin besides take which apps look each the time, either successful the main paper oregon successful a submenu. Plus, further options fto you determine wherever definite commands and actions look and whether you tin inactive entree the old-style menu.

Cloud rebuild rolls out

Though the customizable right-click paper is the prima of the update, Microsoft has added different surprises arsenic it strives to marque Windows much reliable and user-friendly.

Also gradually rolling out, Cloud rebuild is a caller betterment option that lets you reinstall Windows 11 via cloud-based strategy images and drivers downloaded from Windows Update. This instrumentality tin assistance you retrieve Windows erstwhile it won’t load and you don’t person a USB thrust oregon your ain customized image. The downside is that your files won’t survive. But if you regularly backmost them up arsenic you should, you tin reconstruct them aft Windows is backmost successful business.

To commencement Cloud rebuild, spell to Settings, prime System, click Recovery, and past prime Rebuild PC. Your PC volition past restart into the Windows Recovery Environment (WinRE) to footwear disconnected the unreality rebuild. If Windows tin load, your machine should automatically participate WinRE mode, wherever you tin past take the unreality rebuild. You should request to marque definite your PC is online via a wired oregon wireless connection.

Other Windows 11 November upgrades

The November update besides enhances oregon fixes different Windows features and apps.

File Explorer volition present much intelligibly and consistently amusement you the names, locations, and dates of files erstwhile you hunt for them. Phone Link volition preview the substance successful a caller connection if you hover implicit it. The AutoPlay dialog container that appears erstwhile you link a instrumentality similar a telephone oregon camera has been fixed a much modern makeover. The Privacy & information leafage successful Settings present groups unneurotic related controls for easier viewing. Plus, determination are changes to the Taskbar, Magnifier, Narrator, Xbox Mode, and Live Captions.

Windows 11 November update information fixes

And that past brings america to the information fixes.

This month’s update resolves 1,094 information vulnerabilities, according to Microsoft, with 63 of them rated captious and 1 already exploited successful the wild. That’s less than October’s grounds of 1,400 patches. But it inactive represents a hefty fig arsenic Microsoft and different vendors proceed to rely connected AI to find and hole information holes.

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The exploited flaw points to a spoofing vulnerability successful Microsoft Outlook. Here, a distant attacker who sends you a malicious email and convinces you to unfastened it could origin Outlook to link to a web controlled by that attacker. In this case, though, you would not person immoderate warning. Further, the exploit mightiness uncover your username and password to the sender, perchance allowing them to impersonate you.

Lance Whitney is simply a exertion writer with an IT background. He's written for TechRepublic, PCMag, Macworld, and Time, among others, He besides teaches classes successful AI, cybersecurity, and societal media. See afloat bio