9 reasons why Right-click doesn’t work in Windows 10 (and how to fix it)

Start here: if your context menu isn’t opening, the most likely immediate fix is to restart File Explorer or update the mouse/touchpad driver — these two steps resolve the majority of cases quickly. The issue described as Right-click doesn’t work in Windows 10 can be caused by hardware, driver, system settings, corrupt shell extensions, policies, malware, or a damaged user profile. This article explains the common causes and gives step-by-step fixes you can follow, from quick restarts to advanced repairs like SFC/DISM and registry edits.

Key Takeaway

Restarting Windows Explorer and checking/updating the mouse or touchpad driver fixes most right-click issues; if the problem persists, scan for malware, disable third‑party shell extensions, and check Group Policy/registry settings that can explicitly block context menus.

Quick Fix Guide

Quick Fix Guide

Reason for the Problem	Quick Solution
Hardware or mouse driver issue	Update or reinstall the mouse/touchpad driver in Device Manager.
Explorer process glitch	Restart Windows Explorer from Task Manager.
Broken or conflicting shell extensions (3rd-party context menu handlers)	Disable non‑Microsoft context-menu handlers (use ShellExView or Autoruns).
Context menu disabled by Group Policy	Check gpedit.msc or the NoViewContextMenu registry value and re-enable context menus.
Touchpad/precision click settings	Enable right-click gestures in Settings > Devices > Touchpad or vendor control panel.
Tablet mode or touch input interfering	Turn off Tablet mode in Action Center or Settings > System > Tablet.
Corrupted system files	Run sfc /scannow and DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth.
Malware or unwanted software	Run a full Windows Defender or third-party malware scan (e.g., Microsoft Defender Offline, Malwarebytes).
Corrupted user profile	Create a new user account and test whether right-click works there.

Detailed Fixes for “tu mets ici le problème du 9 reasons why Right-click doesn’t work in Windows 10 (and how to fix it)”

1. Hardware or mouse driver issue

Why this causes the problem:
A faulty mouse, damaged cable, or incorrect driver can prevent the right‑click signal from reaching Windows.

Step-by-step solution:

1. Unplug and replug the mouse (or try a different port); if wireless, replace/charge the battery and re-pair the device.
2. Test the mouse on another PC to confirm hardware functionality.
3. Open Device Manager: press Windows + X and choose Device Manager.
4. Expand Mice and other pointing devices, right-click your device, choose Update driver → Search automatically for drivers.
5. If updating doesn’t help, right-click and select Uninstall device, then reboot Windows — Windows will reinstall the driver automatically.
6. For laptops, update the touchpad driver from the manufacturer (e.g., Synaptics, ELAN) via their support site.

Tip: If a replacement mouse works, you’ve ruled out software issues.

2. Explorer process glitch

Why this causes the problem:
File Explorer manages the desktop and context menus; if Explorer is hung or corrupted, right-click may not work.

Step-by-step solution:

1. Press Ctrl + Shift + Esc to open Task Manager.
2. Find Windows Explorer under Processes, right-click it, choose Restart.
3. Alternatively, use command prompt: open Command Prompt (Admin) and run:
   • taskkill /f /im explorer.exe
   • start explorer.exe

Note: Restarting Explorer is safe and often immediately restores right-click functionality.

3. Broken or conflicting shell extensions (3rd‑party context menu handlers)

Why this causes the problem:
Third-party apps add items to the right-click menu; buggy extensions can freeze or crash context menu behavior.

Step-by-step solution:

1. Download ShellExView (NirSoft) or Autoruns (Microsoft Sysinternals). These are reputable tools for inspecting shell extensions.
2. Run the tool as Administrator.
3. Sort by Type or Company and look for Context Menu handlers.
4. Disable all non‑Microsoft context menu handlers (select, then Disable Selected Items).
5. Test right-click. If it works, re-enable handlers one-by-one to find the culprit.
6. Once identified, uninstall or update the offending program.

Safety tip: Always disable non-Microsoft handlers rather than deleting them, and create a System Restore point before making mass changes.

4. Context menu disabled by Group Policy or Registry

Why this causes the problem:
Administrators or system tweaks can disable context menus—common in corporate machines or after certain registry tweaks.

Step-by-step solution (Group Policy):

1. Press Windows + R, type gpedit.msc, and press Enter (Pro/Education/Enterprise only).
2. Navigate to User Configuration > Administrative Templates > Windows Components > File Explorer.
3. Find “Remove File Explorer’s default context menu”. Set it to Not Configured or Disabled.
4. Run gpupdate /force in an elevated command prompt and restart Explorer.

Step-by-step solution (Registry – all editions):

1. Press Windows + R, type regedit, and press Enter.
2. Navigate to HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer.
3. In the right pane, look for NoViewContextMenu (DWORD). If it exists and is 1, right-click → Modify → set value to 0, or delete the entry.
4. Repeat under HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer.
5. Close Registry Editor and restart Windows Explorer or reboot.

Warning: Back up the registry before changes: File > Export in Registry Editor.

5. Touchpad/precision click settings

Why this causes the problem:
On laptops, right-click may be gesture-based; if gestures are disabled, taps won’t register as right-clicks.

Step-by-step solution:

1. Open Settings → Devices → Touchpad.
2. Ensure Touchpad is turned On.
3. Check options like Tap with two fingers to right-click or Press the lower-right corner of the touchpad to right‑click depending on your driver.
4. If the settings are missing, install the manufacturer’s touchpad driver from the laptop vendor.

Note: Some OEM control panels (e.g., Synaptics, ELAN) have advanced settings—open them from Control Panel or the system tray to verify right-click gestures.

6. Tablet mode or touch input interfering

Why this causes the problem:
Tablet mode changes how right-click and touch interactions behave, sometimes disabling classic context menus.

Step-by-step solution:

1. Open Action Center (click the notifications icon at bottom-right) and toggle Tablet mode Off.
2. Or go to Settings → System → Tablet and set behavior to Don’t switch to tablet mode.
3. Test right-click again.

7. Corrupted system files

Why this causes the problem:
Damaged Windows system files can break shell behaviors and context menu handling.

Step-by-step solution:

1. Open Command Prompt (Admin): press Windows + X → Command Prompt (Admin) or Windows PowerShell (Admin).
2. Run: sfc /scannow and wait for completion (this checks and repairs system files).
3. If issues persist, run:
   • DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth
   • After DISM completes, run sfc /scannow again.
4. Reboot and test right-click.

Tip: DISM requires an internet connection to download repair files if needed.

8. Malware or unwanted software

Why this causes the problem:
Malware can interfere with shell functions, disable features, or corrupt files.

Step-by-step solution:

1. Open Windows Security → Virus & threat protection → run a Full scan.
2. For tougher infections, run Microsoft Defender Offline scan: Windows Security → Virus & threat protection → Scan options → Microsoft Defender Offline scan, then Scan now.
3. Optionally run a second-opinion scanner like Malwarebytes (free version) and remove any detected threats.
4. Reboot and test.

Note: If malware removed, retest after a clean boot (see next section if needed).

9. Corrupted user profile

Why this causes the problem:
If the issue is limited to a single user account, profile corruption or user-specific settings can cause right-click failures.

Step-by-step solution:

1. Create a new local account: Settings → Accounts → Family & other users → Add someone else to this PC → I don’t have this person’s sign-in information → Add a user without a Microsoft account.
2. Give the account a name and password, then make it an Administrator (optional).
3. Sign out and sign into the new account.
4. Test right-click; if it works, move your data to the new account or repair the original profile.

Tip: Use Windows Easy Transfer style manual copy for data and make a backup before deleting a corrupted profile.

Section supplémentaire — Maintenance et prévention

Keep your system healthy and reduce future context-menu problems:

• Enable Windows Update automatic updates and install optional driver updates from the manufacturer.
• Avoid installing unknown shell-extension heavy utilities (e.g., archive managers, cloud-sync apps) without checking compatibility.
• Create regular System Restore points: Control Panel > System > System protection → Create.
• Maintain a solid malware protection routine: periodic full scans and safe browsing habits.
• Back up your registry or export keys before making changes: in regedit, use File > Export.

FAQ

Q: Why does right-click work sometimes but fail intermittently?

Intermittent failures often point to a flaky USB connection, failing mouse, occasional Explorer crashes, or an unstable third-party shell extension. Try a different mouse and restart Explorer to isolate the cause.

Q: Can I fully reset the Windows context menu to default?

You can restore default behavior by disabling non‑Microsoft shell extensions (ShellExView), removing registry policies such as NoViewContextMenu, and running sfc /scannow and DISM to repair system files.

Q: Is it safe to disable non‑Microsoft shell extensions?

Yes—disabling (not deleting) non‑Microsoft shell extensions is safe and reversible; do it step-by-step and re-enable items to identify the problematic one.

Q: Will a Windows update break the right-click again?

Windows updates can occasionally change drivers or settings; keep drivers updated from the device maker and create a System Restore point before major updates to roll back if needed.

Q: How do I find which program added a context menu item?

Use ShellExView or Autoruns to list context menu handlers and the publisher name; that will point you to the program responsible so you can update or uninstall it.

Conclusion

Most instances of Right-click doesn’t work in Windows 10 are fixed by restarting Windows Explorer or updating/reinstalling the mouse or touchpad driver; if those don’t help, check shell extensions, Group Policy/registry settings, run SFC/DISM, and scan for malware. Following the step-by-step checks above will identify the cause and get your context menu back working.