Nilesoft Shell is a free, open-source context menu manager that replaces the default Windows right-click menu with a fully customizable one. It removes the annoying “Show more options” button in Windows 11, restores the classic full context menu, and lets you add your own shortcuts, change themes, enable dark mode, and apply blur effects — all by editing simple configuration files.
Applies to: Windows 10 (22H2) and Windows 11 (23H2, 24H2, 25H2) | Last updated: April 10, 2026
Key Takeaways
- Nilesoft Shell removes the “Show more options” button in Windows 11 and restores the full classic context menu with all your right-click options visible immediately.
- Install it with one command:
winget install nilesoft.shellin an admin PowerShell window, or download the installer from nilesoft.org. - Customize everything by editing two config files:
shell.nsscontrols menu items (add/remove entries, custom shortcuts) andtheme.nsscontrols appearance (dark mode, colors, blur effects, fonts). - Changes take effect instantly — save the config file, then hold Ctrl and right-click anywhere to refresh the menu without restarting Explorer.
Quick Steps
- Open PowerShell as administrator and run
winget install nilesoft.shell(or download the installer from nilesoft.org). - Right-click anywhere — the full context menu appears without “Show more options.”
- To customize: hold Shift + right-click the taskbar → Shell → Directory to open the config folder.
- Edit
shell.nssto add/remove menu items. Editimports\theme.nssto change the look. - Save the file, then hold Ctrl + right-click to refresh the menu.
How to Install Nilesoft Shell
The fastest way to install Shell is with WinGet. Open PowerShell or Windows Terminal as administrator and run:
winget install nilesoft.shellAlternatively, go to nilesoft.org, click Download, and run the installer. The website occasionally goes down, so the WinGet method is more reliable.
Once installed, the default Shell theme is applied immediately. Right-click anywhere and you will notice that “Show more options” is gone — the full context menu appears directly. Shell also adds a few useful extras by default: a Terminal submenu for PowerShell and CMD, a File Manage menu with shortcuts for toggling hidden files and copying file paths, and a Go To menu with quick links to system folders and settings.
How to Add and Remove Context Menu Items
All menu customization happens in the shell.nss configuration file. To find it, hold Shift and right-click on the taskbar, hover over Shell, and click Directory. This opens the Shell installation folder where the config files live.
Open shell.nss in any text editor — Notepad works fine, but Notepad++ or any code editor gives you syntax highlighting which makes editing easier.
Removing Items
At the bottom of shell.nss, you will see import lines that pull in additional config files from the imports folder. Each import adds a menu section (Terminal, File Manage, Go To, etc.). To remove one, delete the corresponding import line, save the file, and hold Ctrl + right-click to refresh. For example, deleting the Terminal import line removes the Terminal submenu from the context menu.
Adding Custom Shortcuts
To add a custom entry, use this syntax in shell.nss:
item(title='Calculator' image='C:\Windows\System32\calc.exe' cmd='calc.exe')Replace the title, image, and cmd values with whatever application you want. For the image and command paths, right-click the app’s shortcut, select Properties, and copy the full file path from the Target field.
To launch a browser with a specific URL, add an args parameter:
item(title='Google' image='C:\Program Files\Google\Chrome\Application\chrome.exe' cmd='C:\Program Files\Google\Chrome\Application\chrome.exe' args='https://www.google.com')
Adding Icons to Menu Items
There are two ways to set icons for custom entries. The first is to use Shell’s built-in glyphs — visit the Glyphs gallery on nilesoft.org, find an icon, copy its code, and use it in the image field without quotes:
item(title='Calculator' image=\uE1E7 cmd='calc.exe')The second method is to use a custom PNG or ICO file. Save the image file somewhere (I create an images folder inside the Shell installation directory), then reference the full file path in quotes:
item(title='Calculator' image='C:\Program Files\Nilesoft Shell\images\calc.png' cmd='calc.exe')How to Customize the Shell Theme
The theme is controlled by the theme.nss file in the imports folder. Open it in a text editor to change the appearance of the context menu. Here are the most useful settings:
Dark mode — Set dark = true to switch from the default white menu to a dark theme. This is the single biggest visual improvement and I recommend enabling it immediately.
Custom color — Add a hex color code and opacity value to tint the background. For example, color = #0000FF with opacity = 90 gives a blue-tinted menu. Set the color back to default to match your system theme.
Transparency effects — The effect setting controls background effects:
effect = 1— Fully transparent (setopacity = 0)effect = 2— Blur (my preference — readable text with a frosted glass look)effect = 3— Acrylic (similar to Windows 11’s own transparency)
Font — Change the font with font.name = 'YourFont' and size with font.size = 14. I leave these on default, but it is there if you want it.
Compact view — Add view = view.compact to reduce the spacing between items. This makes the menu more condensed and takes up less screen space.
Tip: Once you are happy with your configuration, back up the entire Shell folder (or just the
shell.nssandtheme.nssfiles) to a safe location. After a clean Windows install, copy your config files back into the Shell installation folder and your custom menu is restored instantly.
Where to Find Pre-Made Shell Themes
If you do not want to build a theme from scratch, you can download pre-made configuration files from the community:
- Nilesoft Shell Forum — Users share their custom themes and configurations.
- Catppuccin for Shell (GitHub) — A popular pastel color theme ported to Shell.
Download the config files and copy them into your Shell installation folder, replacing the existing ones. Refresh the menu with Ctrl + right-click. For full documentation on all available settings, visit nilesoft.org/docs.
Shell is one of several tools for customizing the Windows 11 experience. If you want to go further, check out my guides on customizing Windows 11 with Windhawk and turning Windows 11 into Windows 10 with ExplorerPatcher.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Nilesoft Shell work on Windows 10?
Yes. Shell works on Windows 10, Windows 11, and older versions of Windows. On Windows 10, it still replaces the default context menu with Shell’s customizable version, giving you the same configuration options for adding items, changing themes, and applying effects.
How do I uninstall Nilesoft Shell?
Hold Shift + right-click the taskbar, go to Shell, and click Unregister to remove Shell from the context menu without uninstalling it. To fully uninstall, run winget uninstall nilesoft.shell in an admin PowerShell window, or use the Windows Settings app to remove it through Settings → Apps → Installed apps.
Will Shell break my existing context menu entries?
No. Shell preserves all your existing context menu entries from installed programs (like 7-Zip, File Converter, Git, etc.) and adds its own items alongside them. If you uninstall Shell, everything reverts to the default Windows context menu with all your original entries intact.
How do I refresh the context menu after editing config files?
Hold Ctrl on your keyboard and right-click anywhere. This forces Shell to reload the configuration files without needing to restart Windows Explorer or reboot your PC. Changes take effect immediately.
