Disable context menus in the Start Menu
Verified with Windows 11 25H2 — updated on July 30, 2026
Supported on: At least Windows Server 2016, Windows 10 Version 1803
Path in the GPO console
Computer Configuration\Administrative Templates\Start Menu and Taskbar User Configuration\Administrative Templates\Start Menu and Taskbar Description
This policy allows you to prevent users from being able to open context menus in the Start Menu. If you enable this policy, then invocations of context menus within the Start Menu will be ignored.
Registry
HKLM
Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Explorer HKCU
Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Explorer Value name: DisableContextMenusInStart
MDM / Intune (CSP)
Device
./Device/Vendor/MSFT/Policy/Config/Start/DisableContextMenus User
./User/Vendor/MSFT/Policy/Config/Start/DisableContextMenus Microsoft Learn documentation Mapping data: Microsoft Learn (CC BY 4.0)
CSP values
-
0 (Default)- Don't disable. -
1- Disable.
Export Builder
BETAConfigure the state, scope and options, then generate .reg, PowerShell, Intune and SCCM outputs — or add the setting to a multi-setting collection.
These exports write the registry — this is not a managed GPO. ⓘ
Applying both scopes creates an ambiguous configuration (computer takes precedence over user). Only do this intentionally.
.reg file
Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00
; Exported from gporais.com
; Policy: Disable context menus in the Start Menu
; State: Enabled
; Scope: Computer (HKLM)
; Supported on: At least Windows Server 2016, Windows 10 Version 1803
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Explorer]
"DisableContextMenusInStart"=dword:00000001More formats (PowerShell, Intune, SCCM)
PowerShell
# Exported from gporais.com
# Policy: Disable context menus in the Start Menu
# State: Enabled
# Scope: Computer (HKLM)
# Supported on: At least Windows Server 2016, Windows 10 Version 1803
$path = 'HKLM:\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Explorer'
New-Item -Path $path -Force | Out-Null
Set-ItemProperty -Path $path -Name 'DisableContextMenusInStart' -Value 1 -Type DWordIntune XML
OMA-URI: ./Device/Vendor/MSFT/Policy/Config/Start/DisableContextMenus
Data type: String
Value:
<enabled/>Intune Remediation
# === Detection script ===
# Exported from gporais.com
# Policy: Disable context menus in the Start Menu
# State: Enabled
# Scope: Computer (HKLM)
# Supported on: At least Windows Server 2016, Windows 10 Version 1803
function Test-RegistryValue {
param(
[Parameter(Mandatory = $true)][string]$Path,
[Parameter(Mandatory = $true)][string]$Name,
[object]$Expected,
[ValidateSet('String', 'DWord', 'MultiString')][string]$Kind = 'String',
[switch]$Absent
)
try {
$item = Get-ItemProperty -LiteralPath $Path -Name $Name -ErrorAction Stop
} catch {
return $Absent.IsPresent
}
if ($Absent.IsPresent) { return $false }
$actual = $item.$Name
if ($Kind -eq 'DWord') { return ([int64]$actual) -eq ([int64]$Expected) }
if ($Kind -eq 'MultiString') {
$actualValues = @($actual)
$expectedValues = @($Expected)
if ($actualValues.Count -ne $expectedValues.Count) { return $false }
for ($i = 0; $i -lt $expectedValues.Count; $i++) {
if ([string]$actualValues[$i] -ne [string]$expectedValues[$i]) { return $false }
}
return $true
}
return [string]$actual -eq [string]$Expected
}
$checks = @(
(Test-RegistryValue -Path 'HKLM:\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Explorer' -Name 'DisableContextMenusInStart' -Expected 1 -Kind DWord)
)
if ($checks -notcontains $false) {
Write-Output 'Compliant'
exit 0
}
Write-Output 'Non-compliant'
exit 1
# === Remediation script ===
# Exported from gporais.com
# Policy: Disable context menus in the Start Menu
# State: Enabled
# Scope: Computer (HKLM)
# Supported on: At least Windows Server 2016, Windows 10 Version 1803
$path = 'HKLM:\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Explorer'
New-Item -Path $path -Force | Out-Null
Set-ItemProperty -Path $path -Name 'DisableContextMenusInStart' -Value 1 -Type DWordSCCM scripts
# Exported from gporais.com
# Policy: Disable context menus in the Start Menu
# State: Enabled
# Scope: Computer (HKLM)
# Supported on: At least Windows Server 2016, Windows 10 Version 1803
# SCCM Configuration Item guidance:
# Create a Configuration Item of type "Setting: Script".
# Discovery script: use the Detection script below.
# Remediation script: use the Remediation script below.
# Compliance rule: the Discovery script output equals 'Compliant'.
# === Detection script ===
# Exported from gporais.com
# Policy: Disable context menus in the Start Menu
# State: Enabled
# Scope: Computer (HKLM)
# Supported on: At least Windows Server 2016, Windows 10 Version 1803
function Test-RegistryValue {
param(
[Parameter(Mandatory = $true)][string]$Path,
[Parameter(Mandatory = $true)][string]$Name,
[object]$Expected,
[ValidateSet('String', 'DWord', 'MultiString')][string]$Kind = 'String',
[switch]$Absent
)
try {
$item = Get-ItemProperty -LiteralPath $Path -Name $Name -ErrorAction Stop
} catch {
return $Absent.IsPresent
}
if ($Absent.IsPresent) { return $false }
$actual = $item.$Name
if ($Kind -eq 'DWord') { return ([int64]$actual) -eq ([int64]$Expected) }
if ($Kind -eq 'MultiString') {
$actualValues = @($actual)
$expectedValues = @($Expected)
if ($actualValues.Count -ne $expectedValues.Count) { return $false }
for ($i = 0; $i -lt $expectedValues.Count; $i++) {
if ([string]$actualValues[$i] -ne [string]$expectedValues[$i]) { return $false }
}
return $true
}
return [string]$actual -eq [string]$Expected
}
$checks = @(
(Test-RegistryValue -Path 'HKLM:\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Explorer' -Name 'DisableContextMenusInStart' -Expected 1 -Kind DWord)
)
if ($checks -notcontains $false) {
Write-Output 'Compliant'
exit 0
}
Write-Output 'Non-compliant'
exit 1
# === Remediation script ===
# Exported from gporais.com
# Policy: Disable context menus in the Start Menu
# State: Enabled
# Scope: Computer (HKLM)
# Supported on: At least Windows Server 2016, Windows 10 Version 1803
$path = 'HKLM:\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Explorer'
New-Item -Path $path -Force | Out-Null
Set-ItemProperty -Path $path -Name 'DisableContextMenusInStart' -Value 1 -Type DWordBuilding a multi-setting collection? Add this setting and generate combined .reg / PowerShell / GPO scripts.