How do I… Add Copy To and Move To to Windows Explorer with a registry hack?

by Mark Kaelin | Sep 14, 2006 3:11:00 PM

Tags: Mark Kaelin, new key, Windows Registry, Microsoft Windows, Microsoft Windows Explorer

Takeaway: For some reason, Microsoft decided not to activate the Copy To and Move To menu items in Windows XP Explorer as they did for Send To. This Microsoft Windows Registry hack adds Copy To and Move To to the right-click context menu of Windows Explorer.

Warning: The following section involves editing your system registry. Using the Windows Registry Editor incorrectly can cause serious problems requiring the reinstallation of your operating system and may lead to the loss of data. TechRepublic does not and will not support problems that arise from editing your registry. Use the Registry Editor and the following directions at your own risk.

Adding Copy To and Move To functionality to the Windows Explorer right-click menu starts with the finding the key in the Windows Registry file. (Be sure to back up the Registry file before you begin.)

1. Start Regedit by navigating Start | Run and typing regedit in the dialog box.
2. Navigate to this key in the Registry file:
   HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\AllFilesystemObjects\shellex\ContextMenuHandlers
   Note: The Send To key is already there.
3. Right-click on the ContextMenuHandlersfolder and select New | Key to add a new key.
4. Give it the name Copy To and then double-click the (Default) value of the new key's right-hand pane.
5. Type in this code as the new data:
   
   {C2FBB630-2971-11D1-A18C-00C04FD75D13}
   
   
6. Right-click on the ContextMenuHandlersfolder and select New | Key to add a new key.
7. Give it the name Move To and then double-click the (Default) value of the new key's right-hand pane.
8. Type in this code as the new data:
   
   {C2FBB631-2971-11D1-A18C-00C04FD75D13}
   
   
9. Click OK and close Regedit
10. Copy To and Move To should now be available options on the right-click context menu in Windows Explorer.

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Print/View all Posts Comments on this article

Other useful hacksMark W. Kaelin  | 09/14/06

Adding TweakUI to the Control PanelThe-Jetman  | 09/16/06

not quite truepetremure  | 09/20/06

Right click guyMark W. Kaelin  | 09/20/06

Here are all my tweeks in one file! dmarston  | 09/20/06

YOUR tweaks??candidclock@...  | 03/06/07

This article should never have been publishedPapaWhiskey  | 10/11/06

There's a reason why -- use with cautionfjames@...  | 09/18/06

An interesting side effectMark W. Kaelin  | 09/19/06

Same hereuberg33k50  | 09/20/06

Dittobobj@...  | 09/20/06

Works fine for mecsims32@...  | 10/09/06

Doesn't seem to workbmi  | 09/19/06

Check Key Valuesbobj@...  | 09/20/06

Got it!bmi  | 09/20/06

Same Herejim65@...  | 09/23/06

also works with Windows 2000foreigner  | 09/20/06

Tweak omitted from TweakUI by authordougcollins@...  | 09/30/06

No change in right-click context menuwebguru_gal  | 10/08/06