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Microsoft PowerToys is a collection of utilities that supercharge productivity and customization on Windows

[New+] Hide existing new - remake (#44979)

## Summary of the Pull Request
- Add the ability for users and admins (GPO) to control whether to
display built in New on the context menu.
 - Changes to the setting are immediately reflected in the experience.
 - Built-in New is restored on uninstall.

## PR Checklist
Note: Supersedes https://github.com/microsoft/PowerToys/pull/39843 

- [x] **Closes**: [New+] Replace default New entry #37545 and Replace
"New" with New+ option #37946
- [x] **Communication:** Discussed with @niels9001 - 1/22/2025
- [x] **Tests:** Completed manual test pass see highlight below
- [x] **Localization:** All end-user-facing strings can be localized
- [x] **Dev docs:** Updated "doc\devdocs\modules\newplus.md"
- [n/a] **New binaries:** Added on the required places
- [n/a] [JSON for
signing](https://github.com/microsoft/PowerToys/blob/main/.pipelines/ESRPSigning_core.json)
for new binaries
   - [x] [WXS for installer] Updated installer (uninstall custom action)
- [n/a] [YML for CI
pipeline](https://github.com/microsoft/PowerToys/blob/main/.pipelines/ci/templates/build-powertoys-steps.yml)
for new test projects
- [n/a] [YML for signed
pipeline](https://github.com/microsoft/PowerToys/blob/main/.pipelines/release.yml)
- [No] **Documentation updated:** Pending, coming soon. (original PR 
https://github.com/MicrosoftDocs/windows-dev-docs/pull/5473)

## Detailed Description of the Pull Request / Additional comments
Added the ability for users' admins' to display Windows built-in New or
not
	
I'm NOT aware of an official supported way to do this, so I'm achieving
this by adding an invalid context menu handler in place of New in the
Computer\HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Classes\Directory\background\ShellEx\ContextMenuHandlers\New
	
Changes are immediate, after applying the change, built-in New is
shown/hidden accordingly
	
	Updates to New+ Settings UI
New setting introduced to track user' preference (saved to
newplus/settings.json)
GPO setting introduced for control New visibility via GPO (GPO wins over
user preference)
	
	Updates to New+ power_module.cpp
When runner is running new plus will also apply built-in New admin GPO
and user preference (GPO wins over user preference) to ensure correct
behavior on setting restore and GPO application.
		
	Updates to installer 
		Uninstall always reenable built-in "New" context menu 
	
	Updated DevDoc
		Added a note on how to manually restore built-in New

## Validation Steps Performed
Windows 11 x64
	Settings UI
	New+ enabled
	New+ disabled
	GPO setting enabled
	GPO settings disabled
	Manually updating newplus/settings.json

Windows 11 ARM64
	I tested the reg hack manually, but didn't go through a full pass. 

Windows 10 x64
	NOT tested. 

Windows 11, Settings, New+ Disabled and no GPO
<img width="1040" height="1002" alt="image"
src="https://github.com/user-attachments/assets/1b827b10-f009-4b0b-954f-d9311d40d201"
/>

Windows 11, Settings, New+ Enabled and no GPO
<img width="1015" height="781" alt="image"
src="https://github.com/user-attachments/assets/a5fa09d3-7fd3-4830-99a4-5f2ac9ce1a38"
/>

Hide built-in New: Off (the default)
<img width="321" height="417" alt="image"
src="https://github.com/user-attachments/assets/355fea60-bbb8-4f11-b648-291aaf0c4a6d"
/>

Hide built-in New: On
<img width="1015" height="87" alt="image"
src="https://github.com/user-attachments/assets/e83e45c4-6b67-443b-b045-26e7dda2cf46"
/>

Modern
<img width="308" height="360" alt="image"
src="https://github.com/user-attachments/assets/b164b240-6e67-410c-8481-7db3ee3225b7"
/>

Classic
<img width="308" height="289" alt="image"
src="https://github.com/user-attachments/assets/e2b6c262-a311-454c-9c76-40cb11ff2970"
/>

Disabling New+ also unhide New
<img width="1031" height="569" alt="image"
src="https://github.com/user-attachments/assets/29b8dae7-8190-4e64-b106-c6861e472a3d"
/>

<img width="308" height="353" alt="image"
src="https://github.com/user-attachments/assets/e1977d6b-dc85-4db4-b9ab-c7bb2b27dde2"
/>



Windows 11, Settings, New+ Enabled and with GPO

Hide built-in New: GPO enabled
<img width="1020" height="691" alt="image"
src="https://github.com/user-attachments/assets/75053ab8-92c6-4d38-b1b8-9b0d8293c207"
/>

Hide built-in New: GPO disabled
<img width="1050" height="161" alt="image"
src="https://github.com/user-attachments/assets/1a50b841-ff01-4662-a923-aee63717c834"
/>
C
Christian Gaarden Gaardmark committed
90e81cbfd55ec5c70e8a64082fc30681d3278dad
Parent: 3e1b07f
Committed by GitHub <[email protected]> on 3/1/2026, 11:32:38 AM