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Cascading list of websites in right click context menu in Windows 7

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Again right click menu of Windows 7. But, unlike other Windows 7 right click tutorials, it is a bit complicated. Well, you will do it rightly though. Do not miss any line.

After reading this tutorial, you will be able to add a right click custom named menu and cascading list of submenu of websites of your choice with icons of your choice in Windows 7.

On clicking them; the webpage will open.

 

Like this:

 

Add a cascading list of websites in right click context menu

 

Under stand the following things calmly:

 

  • All the names in right click menu can be changed
  • You can add as many as websites’ name and link you want
  • You can change the icon of them as well
  • You may create one menu named Favorites, one Social Networks and so on
  • Your default browser will open the page, if that browser is already opened, a new tab will be opened
  • It works on Windows 7 Desktop, inside the folders (Explorer) also
  • There is no reason to think it will consume huge RAM, unless if you use huge sized icons

 

Updated on 10/2014 : Red, Blue, Green Text were historically used to help the reader to identify lines in 2011. Do not give importance to the lines like you should do this written in red text. Other than that, code will work as intended to add cascading list of websites in right click context menu in Windows.

 
As usually, we need two things: a batch file to carry the job, that is to run the website in your default browser, a nice icon in *.ico format for each website and a registry file to add it to right click menu.

 

First, as the things are quite complex and we want to keep a way to remove or add the websites to the list; we will create a folder named websites (you can use any name, but have to change in the registry in next step) on your desktop.

 

We are giving the example of the above screenshot like menu.

 

Make a list which website you want too add; otherwise you might mess it up.

 

Creating the batch file to open the desired website in your favorite browser

 

One batch file for each website. So, in our example; here will be three.

Open Notepad. Write the following things:

 

 

The blue text is just a formal name of the website; the red text is the URL of the website.

Save the file as TheCustomizeWindows.bat and do not forget to change the file type from text to All files from drop down menu in Notepad before saving it. Obviously, you will save FaceBook’s batch file with the name FaceBook.bat.

If you want to add other site or the login page; just replace the red text, blue text and save with an appropriate name as batch file. Double click it to check. It should open the webpage.

In this way, we have created three batch files for those three websites.

 

Getting the icons

 

The easiest way to get the icon is typing the full url and adding /favicon.ico at the end of the URL and hitting Enter. You will get every website’s icon in this way.

For example; Google’s Favicon will be in : http://www.Google.com/favicon.ico (Right click to open in new tab or windows).

As all website’s icon will be named favicon.ico; you have to rename them separately while saving. Right click on that image and save with custom name.

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Packing the things rightly

 

You have created the folder named websites; put all the batch files and the icons in this folder. For us, it is 3 batch files and 3 icons:

 

Add a cascading list of websites in right click context menu BOLD

Put it in C drive. So the path will be C:websites

You can put where ever you like; but you have to change that in the final step while creating the registry file.

 

Creating the registry file

 

This will add the functionality to get working from right click context menu. Open Notepad, copy paste the following and modify as per your need:

 

Here is too many variables; so understand the thing, do not copy or download blindly. Otherwise you will get our websites in your menu instead of your desired websites or it will not work.

 

We have highlighted only one set. That is for the main menu and The Customize Windows sub menu.

Blue text is what you want to see as main menu; you can name as Social Websites for example.

The red text in the “sub commands” is the list of the submenu as well as websites you want to add.

Next red text The Customize Windows is what will appear in the sub menu. For example, it will be FaceBook for Facebook’s site.

The pink text is the path of the icon of that website. Compare with the screenshot of the folder. It should be clear like daylight.

The orange text is the path of the batch file.

 

Save the file as Add websites.reg and do not forget to change the file type from text to All files from drop down menu in Notepad before saving it. Name does not matter here at all. You can save as you like.

Now, double click the reg file and accept the security warnings and you will see the option in right click context menu when clicked on a folder or any empty place inside folder or Windows 7 desktop.

 

You will get it as you want.

 

Updating or adding more entry:

 

    1. Create a new batch file for that website
    2. Create a icon for that website
    3. Put it to C:websites folder
    4. Open the  Add website.reg and right click it and open in Notepad; add the name of the website separated by semicolon within the quotation mark; here after …;Google” ; if you add Facebook, it would be: “SubCommands”=”The Customize Windows;Daily Medico;Google;Face Book“
    5. Copy last two sets of HKEYs and paste it at the end.
    6. Modify its name url, icon etc and save the registry file; double click to run it. It will be added.

     

    Removal:

    Add a minus sign before the H starts after the third bracket; like [-HKEY_CLASSES…. to all where there is HKEY and save it (with some good name) as reg file and run it. It will break the association; so the option will disappear from right click context menu.

    Obviously, you might delete the bat files manually too :

     

    Downloads:

    As usually all the required files are here for your download.

    The rar file is password protected, type thecustomizewindows.com as the password.

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