How to Remove "Edit in Notepad" from the Windows 11 Right-Click Menu (and Get It Back Later)

“Edit in Notepad” is added to the Windows 11 right-click menu by the Notepad app itself, starting with Notepad version 11.2311.33.0, so it shows up on almost every file whether you want it or not. You can hide it by adding one value to the Shell Extensions “Blocked” key in the registry, and delete that value to bring it back. If you would rather not edit the registry, ContextCleaner from Automata Labs lists every right-click entry with the app or package that added it, and hides the ones you choose with an automatic backup and one-click undo.

Keep Notepad, lose the menu entry, and undo it any time.

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Why is “Edit in Notepad” in my right-click menu?

It arrived with a Notepad update, not with a Windows feature update. The Windows 11 Forum tutorial Add or Remove “Edit in Notepad” Context Menu in Windows 11 explains: “Starting with Notepad version 11.2311.33.0, you can now easily access Notepad for file modifications directly from File Explorer. Just right-click on any file or multiple files in File Explorer to find the Edit in Notepad option.”

That is useful if you often open config files, logs or scripts in Notepad. It is clutter if you use a different editor, or if you mostly right-click photos, PDFs and documents, because the entry appears on those too.

Notepad updates through the Microsoft Store, so the entry can appear on a PC without you changing anything. That is also why it is a common “where did this come from?” question.

How do I remove “Edit in Notepad” with the registry?

The entry can be hidden by listing its identifier, a CLSID, under the Blocked key for shell extensions. The method below is documented by the Windows 11 Forum and Winaero. Both use the same CLSID: {CA6CC9F1-867A-481E-951E-A28C5E4F01EA}.

For your account only:

1. Press Win+R, type regedit and press Enter.
2. Go to HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Shell Extensions.
3. If there is no Blocked subkey, right-click Shell Extensions, choose New, Key, and name it Blocked.
4. In Blocked, create a new String Value named {CA6CC9F1-867A-481E-951E-A28C5E4F01EA}. The Windows 11 Forum sets its data to Edit in Notepad; Winaero leaves it empty. The name is what matters.
5. Restart Explorer, sign out and back in, or restart the PC.

The equivalent .reg file content, from the Windows 11 Forum tutorial, is:

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Shell Extensions\Blocked]
"{CA6CC9F1-867A-481E-951E-A28C5E4F01EA}"="Edit in Notepad"

For all users: create the same value under HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Shell Extensions\Blocked. You need to be an administrator. The Windows 11 Forum notes that the all-users setting overrides the per-user one.

To get it back: delete the value you created and restart Explorer. That is the default state.

Before you change anything, export the Shell Extensions key (File, Export in Registry Editor) so you have a copy to restore.

Does the same trick work for other “Edit with” entries?

Yes, for some. How-To Geek’s guide to removing redundant entries from the Windows 11 context menu uses the same Blocked key for “Edit with Paint” ({2430F218-B743-4FD6-97BF-5C76541B4AE9}) and “Edit with Photos.” We have a separate page on removing Edit with Photos.

The pattern is the same each time: the entry comes from an app package, the registry route blocks its CLSID, and deleting the value restores it. The weak spot is also the same: you need the exact CLSID for each entry, and community guides are the main source for them. Microsoft does not publish a list.

Will the new Windows 11 context menu settings remove it?

Possibly, but we cannot confirm it yet. Microsoft is rolling out a new Customize menu page in Settings. The Release Preview notes for builds 26200.9807 and 26300.9807 say it lets you turn built-in commands on or off and “choose which app extensions appear in the main menu or a submenu, or hide the app extensions submenu.” Microsoft describes it as a gradual rollout.

Two things to keep in mind:

• The notes describe placing app extensions in the main menu or a submenu, and hiding that submenu as a whole. They do not say every app entry can be hidden one by one.
• We have not yet seen whether “Edit in Notepad” is listed there as an app extension, a built-in command, or not at all, on a PC that has the new page.

If your PC has the new page, look there first. If Notepad’s entry is not listed, or you are not on a build that has it, the methods in this article still apply.

What is the safer way to hide “Edit in Notepad”?

ContextCleaner is built for removing single entries like this one without hand-editing keys. According to its Microsoft Store listing:

• It finds every right-click entry across all four Windows menu surfaces in one list, including the Windows 11 modern menu and the classic “Show more options” list.
• It shows which app, DLL, or package added each entry, and which file types it affects, so you can confirm the entry belongs to Notepad before you hide it.
• Hide the clutter: turn off entries you never use in both menus.
• Pin to the top: promote the commands you do use instead.
• Safe by design: an automatic backup before every change, one-click restore from any earlier snapshot, and undo and redo history that survives closing the app.
• Friendly warnings before you switch off a built-in Windows component.
• Search and bulk changes, with a Ctrl+K command palette.
• Private by default: no third-party tracking, and the change history stays on your PC.

We have not tested ContextCleaner against every Notepad version, and app updates can re-register entries. Check that the entry appears and hides on your PC, and use one-click restore if anything looks wrong.

Find Edit in Notepad, confirm Notepad owns it, and switch it off with a backup.

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Which method should I use?

Method	Keeps Notepad	Needs exact CLSID	Undo
Registry Blocked value, current user	Yes	Yes	Delete the value
Registry Blocked value, all users	Yes	Yes, plus admin rights	Delete the value
New Settings page (where available)	Yes	No	Toggle back
Uninstall Notepad, if your PC allows it	No	No	Reinstall from the Store
ContextCleaner	Yes	No	One-click restore and undo history

For most people, the decision is simple. If you are comfortable in Registry Editor and only want this one entry gone, the Blocked value is quick. If you also want to clean up other entries, or you want an undo that does not depend on remembering what you changed, use a tool that tracks changes for you.

What should I check after removing it?

1. Right-click a text file and a non-text file. The entry should be gone from both.
2. Check “Show more options.” If you still see it in the classic menu, restart Explorer or sign out.
3. Open Notepad directly to confirm the app itself still works. Hiding the entry does not touch the app.
4. After a Notepad update, look again. Updates can change how entries register. If it comes back, re-apply your change.

If right-clicking feels slow in general, the cause is usually third-party shell extensions rather than Notepad. Our guide to shell extensions that slow down right-click covers that. Developers who also see “Open with Code” can use our guide to removing Open with Code.

Frequently asked questions

Is it safe to remove “Edit in Notepad”?

Yes. It is a shortcut that opens the selected file in Notepad. Hiding it does not change Notepad or your file associations, and you can still open files from inside Notepad.

Why does “Edit in Notepad” show on images and PDFs?

Notepad’s entry is offered on files generally, not just text files, which is why it shows on photos and documents too.

Do I need to restart my PC?

Usually not. Restarting Explorer or signing out and back in is normally enough.

Does this affect Notepad++ or other editors?

No. This value only hides Notepad’s entry. Other editors add their own entries, which you would remove separately.

Will Windows Update undo the change?

It can. Notepad and Windows updates can change how menu entries register, so right-click a file after a big update and re-apply the change if the entry has come back.

Try ContextCleaner

Get ContextCleaner from the Microsoft Store. It is a one-time purchase with no subscription, and the Store listing shows the current price.

For the bigger picture of how Windows 11 splits the menu, read Show more options in Windows 11.

A tidy right-click menu, with every change backed up and reversible.

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Microsoft, Windows and Notepad are trademarks of the Microsoft group of companies. ContextCleaner is not affiliated with or endorsed by Microsoft.

Last updated 22 October 2026. Published by Automata Labs, a software company in Canada.