Add Copy To and Move To to Windows Explorer with this registry hack

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.

In Microsoft Windows XP, the right-click context menu in Windows Explorer contains an entry for the Send To command but not for Copy To or Move To (Figure A).

Figure A

Just Send To appears on the menu.

Adding Copy To and Move To functionality to the Windows Explorer right-click menu starts with 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.

Copy To and Move To should now be available options on the right-click context menu in Windows Explorer (Figure B).

Figure B

Now there are Move To and Copy To options on the menu.

This tip is also available in the form of a TechRepublic Photo Gallery, which shows all the steps visually with screenshots.

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