If you’re using Claude Code regularly on Windows, one small quality-of-life improvement can make a huge difference: launching Claude directly from any folder via the right-click menu.
Instead of opening a terminal, navigating to a directory, and then running your command, you can simply right-click and go.
This guide shows how to add two options:
- Open Claude here (when inside a folder)
- Open Claude on folder (when right-clicking a folder)
Why This Matters
When you’re working across multiple projects, context switching becomes expensive. Every extra step—opening a terminal, navigating directories, running commands—adds friction.
By wiring Claude directly into the Windows context menu, you:
- Reduce repetitive navigation
- Speed up workflows
- Keep focus on actual work instead of setup
It’s a small change, but it compounds quickly.
How It Works
Windows allows you to customize the right-click menu through the registry.
There are two key locations:
Directory\Background\shell→ when you right-click inside a folderDirectory\shell→ when you right-click a folder itself
We’ll add entries to both.
Step 1: Create the Registry File
Create a new file called:
claude-context.reg
Paste the following:
Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00; ============================
; Right-click inside a folder (background)
; ============================
[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Directory\Background\shell\OpenClaudeHere]
@="Open Claude here"
"Icon"="C:\\Windows\\System32\\cmd.exe"[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Directory\Background\shell\OpenClaudeHere\command]
@="cmd.exe /k cd /d \"%V\" && claude --dangerously-skip-permissions"; ============================
; Right-click a folder itself
; ============================
[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Directory\shell\OpenClaudeOnFolder]
@="Open Claude on folder"
"Icon"="C:\\Windows\\System32\\cmd.exe"[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Directory\shell\OpenClaudeOnFolder\command]
@="cmd.exe /k cd /d \"%1\" && claude --dangerously-skip-permissions"
Step 2: Apply It
Double-click the .reg file and accept the prompt.
That’s it.
What You Get
After applying:
- Right-click inside any folder → Open Claude here
- Right-click any folder → Open Claude on folder
Both will:
- Open a command prompt
- Navigate to the correct directory
- Run:
claude --dangerously-skip-permissions
Windows 11 Note
On Windows 11, these options may appear under:
Show more options
This is because Microsoft introduced a new context menu system, but classic registry entries still work perfectly—they’re just one click deeper.
Optional Improvements
Once you have this working, you can extend it further:
Use Windows Terminal instead of cmd
Replace:
cmd.exe /k ...
with something like:
wt.exe -d "%V" claude --dangerously-skip-permissions
Add a custom alias (cc)
If you’ve created a shortcut like:
cc → claude --dangerously-skip-permissions
Then your command becomes:
cmd.exe /k cd /d "%V" && cc
Add a custom icon
You can replace:
"Icon"="C:\\Windows\\System32\\cmd.exe"
with any .ico file path for a cleaner look.
Final Thoughts
This is one of those small automation tweaks that pays off immediately.
You’re not changing your workflow—you’re removing friction from it.
And if you’re doing a lot of local development, scripting, or AI-assisted coding, that friction adds up fast.