Windows 11’s October 2026 optional update, KB5127936, brings two changes worth knowing about. The File Explorer right-click menu is faster and finally customizable, so you can hide commands you never use and pull useful ones out of submenus. And a new recovery option called Cloud rebuild can reinstall Windows 11 straight from Windows Update, with no USB drive, even when the PC won’t boot.
The update was released on 28 October for Windows 11 versions 25H2 and 26H2 (OS builds 26200.9818 and 26300.9818). It is a non-security preview, so it only installs if you choose it, and many of the new features reach devices in stages.
The new Windows 11 right-click menu
Microsoft says the updated context menu opens more quickly and carries less clutter. The bigger change is control. A new Customize menu entry sits at the bottom of the menu and opens a dedicated Settings page under Personalization, where you decide what appears when you right-click a file.
From that page you can:
- Turn built-in commands such as Send to and Create shortcut on or off.
- Add commands such as Print back to the main menu.
- Choose which app extensions appear in the main menu, which stay in a submenu, or hide the app extensions submenu entirely.
- Show Cut, Copy, Paste, Rename, Delete and Share as normal menu items instead of the row of icons at the top.
- Move Properties to the bottom of the menu.
The app extensions control is the one most people will feel. Tools like Notepad, PowerToys and VS Code all add right-click entries, and on a busy PC they push everyday commands down the list. Now you can keep the two you use daily in the main menu and tuck the rest away. If you prefer text over icons, the inline option shows Cut, Copy and Paste as labelled menu items, which are easier to hit than small icons.
Nothing changes unless you open Customize menu, so the default layout stays as it is. The old full menu is still available: hold Shift while you right-click.
What is Cloud rebuild in Windows 11?
Cloud rebuild is a full, clean reinstall of Windows 11 that downloads both the Windows image and your PC’s drivers from Windows Update. Microsoft positions it for PCs that are badly broken, including ones that no longer start. You don’t need a USB installer, a custom image or a working copy of Windows, and the PC comes back with its drivers already in place.
It is different from Reset this PC, which reinstalls using your current installation and can keep your personal files. Cloud rebuild reformats the system disk and removes all local files, accounts, apps and settings. Files stored in cloud services such as OneDrive are not affected, but anything saved only on the PC is gone. That includes photos or phone backups you copied to the desktop, so it is worth taking a moment to back up anything stored only on the PC before starting.
| Option | What it does | Keeps your files? |
| Reset this PC | Reinstalls Windows from the current installation or a cloud download | Optional |
| Cloud rebuild: Remove files | Reformats the system disk and reinstalls Windows and drivers from Windows Update | No. Files may still be recoverable with specialist tools |
| Cloud rebuild: Remove and sanitize files | Uses the drive’s hardware erase before reinstalling. Takes longer | No. Erasure is irreversible |
Microsoft recommends Remove files if you plan to keep using the PC, and Remove and sanitize before you sell, return, recycle or hand the PC to someone else. Sanitization can cover only the Windows disk or all disks, and it can take a long time on large drives, with the PC looking idle while it works.
How to use Cloud rebuild
Before you start, check that the PC has a working Windows Recovery Environment. Open Terminal as administrator and run:
reagentc /infoThe output should show the recovery environment as enabled. Microsoft also lists two other requirements: the PC must meet Windows 11’s minimum hardware requirements, and the manufacturer must include a network driver in the recovery environment so the PC can get online.
- Go to Settings > System > Recovery and select Rebuild PC next to Rebuild this PC. The PC restarts into the recovery environment. If Windows won’t start, the PC enters recovery on its own after repeated boot failures. Choose Troubleshoot and then Cloud rebuild.
- Connect to the internet. Ethernet connects automatically. On Wi-Fi, pick a WPA2-Personal network and enter its password. With this update, the recovery environment can also reuse Wi-Fi networks already saved in Windows.
- Wait while Cloud rebuild checks Windows Update for the target build and downloads network drivers.
- Choose Remove files or Remove & sanitize files.
- Check the Windows build, edition and language shown, accept the data loss warning and select Continue.
- Keep the PC plugged in. It may restart several times, and you should not switch it off while it prepares, downloads or installs Windows. When it finishes, you land on the normal setup screens, just like a new PC.
Work and school PCs managed through Microsoft Intune can be rebuilt remotely by IT using the Recovery CSP, and Autopilot-registered devices can set themselves up again after the rebuild. Drive sanitization requires the October 2026 non-security update or later, which is this release.
Other changes in KB5127936
- File Explorer: search results show name, location and date in a consistent layout, the address bar accepts
~to jump to your user folder (for example~\AppData), and Folder Options supports dark mode. - AutoPlay: the dialog for phones, cameras and USB drives is redesigned, supports dark mode and now shows up in notification center.
- Magnifier: each monitor can keep its own zoom level, a locked view can stay put while you work on another display, and a new contrast toggle reduces glare without changing the colors in photos.
- Battery: adaptive hibernate hibernates less when the battery is above 80% and sooner when it drops below 10%.
- Microsoft Edge: Accelerated App Launch makes Edge open faster when it is already running in the background, on Edge 150 or later.
Microsoft also confirmed that Windows 11 version 24H2 no longer gets these optional preview updates. Home and Pro users on 24H2 need to move to 25H2 or 26H2 to get new features early, while 24H2 Enterprise and Education keep receiving monthly security updates.
How to install KB5127936 and should you?
Open Settings > Windows Update > Advanced options > Optional updates, select KB5127936 and install it. You can also download the standalone package from the Microsoft Update Catalog. Because the new context menu and Cloud rebuild are part of a gradual rollout, they may not appear right after you install. Turning on Get the latest updates as soon as they’re available in Windows Update may bring staged features sooner, but it does not guarantee them.
My take: if right-click clutter bothers you daily, the preview is a reasonable install on a personal PC. If the PC is your only work machine, waiting for the regular monthly update is the safer choice, since preview builds are where Microsoft finds the last bugs. Microsoft’s own known issues list for this release includes USB Audio Class 1.0 devices showing error Code 10 or producing no sound, a problem that started with an earlier September update.
Cloud rebuild is worth remembering for the day Windows will not start. It can reinstall the system without a USB drive if the recovery environment can get online. It will erase local files, so check your backup before choosing it.
FAQ
Does Cloud rebuild delete my files?
Yes. It removes all files, accounts, apps and settings stored on the PC. Files already synced to OneDrive or another cloud service are not affected.
Can I use Cloud rebuild if Windows won’t start?
Yes. After repeated boot failures the PC opens the Windows Recovery Environment, where Cloud rebuild is listed under Troubleshoot. The PC needs an internet connection over Ethernet or WPA2-Personal Wi-Fi.
Why don’t I see the new right-click menu after updating?
The new context menu is rolling out gradually, so it can take time to reach your PC even with KB5127936 installed. You also need Windows 11 version 25H2 or 26H2.
How do I get the old Windows 11 context menu back?
Hold Shift while you right-click to see the full list of options. The Customize menu page also has a Show more options setting for the legacy menu.
