Adding a menu key to your Windows 10 PC keyboard can be a great way to add some extra functionality to your keyboard. For example, you could add a key that allows you to quickly access the settings for your computer. Additionally, adding a key that opens the Start Menu can be helpful when you need to start your computer from scratch.
Remapping with PowerToys
Thanks to a free utility called Microsoft PowerToys, you can easily reassign any key to work like any other. In this case, we’ll be assigning the Menu key’s function to a spare key on your keyboard.
First, if you don’t have PowerToys installed on Windows 10, you can download it for free from Microsoft’s website. After you do so, launch it, click “Keyboard Manager” in the sidebar, and then click “Remap a Key.”
In the “Remap Keyboard” window that appears, click the plus sign (+) under “Key:” to add a new key mapping.
Next, you have to decide which key you want to use as the Menu key. If you have a full-size keyboard, the Alt key to the right of the space bar usually works well. It’s in the same general location as the Menu key on other keyboards, and you have another Alt key on the left, so you won’t be losing anything.
Some people also use the right Ctrl or Scroll Lock keys, but this is all personal preference—just choose the one that works best for you.
Once you’ve decided, click the drop-down arrow in the “Key:” section on the left to select the key you want to use—for our example, we chose “Alt (Right).”
In the “Mapped To” area on the right, select “Menu” from the drop-down, and then click “OK.”
Power Toys will probably warn you that the key you’re remapping will be unassigned; click “Continue Anyway.”
Your new Menu key should work immediately. To test it, click anywhere on the desktop, and then press your new Menu key. You should see a small context menu like the one shown below.
As you experiment with the new Menu key, you’ll notice the options in the menu change depending on the application or feature you right-click.
You can now close PowerToys and use your computer as you normally would.
How to Remove the New Menu Key
If you change your mind and want to use a different key or remove the mapping altogether, just launch PowerToys once again. Then, click Keyboard Manager > Remap a Key. Locate the Menu key mapping you defined and just click the trash can icon to delete it.
Click “OK” to close the window. You can then create a new mapping to a different key or just close PowerToys.
Shift+F10
If you’re ever in a pinch on a keyboard that doesn’t have a Menu key (and you can’t remap it) try pressing Shift+F10 or Ctrl+Shift+F10. This won’t work perfectly for every application, but it will usually replicate the function of the Menu key. Good luck!
RELATED: What Is the Menu Key For? (and How to Remap It)
