ShellEx.info
Developer Resources
Technical documentation on writing, debugging, and optimizing Windows Shell Extensions in C++ and C#.
Debugging Windows Shell Extensions
A deep dive for developers and power users on how to debug Windows Explorer crashes. Learn to use Event Viewer, Process Explorer, WinDbg, and Procdump to catch bad shell extensions.
How to Build a Custom File Preview Handler for Windows Explorer (2026 Developer Tutorial)
Complete C++ tutorial on implementing the IPreviewHandler COM interface to create custom file preview panes in Windows Explorer. Covers registration, debugging, and supporting custom file types.
Security tools
Optional extras when cleaning leftover junk or scanning an unknown DLL.
How to Build a Windows Shell Extension in C# and .NET 8
A complete developer's guide to writing, debugging, and deploying COM-compatible Windows context menu shell extensions using C#, .NET 8, and SharpShell.
How to Manually Add 'Open with VS Code' to the Windows Context Menu
A complete step-by-step registry guide to adding custom 'Open with VS Code' (or any IDE) shortcuts to files, folders, and folder backgrounds in Windows 10 and 11.
Migrating Shell Extensions from Windows 10 to Windows 11: Complete Developer Guide (2026)
The definitive guide to porting legacy IContextMenu shell extensions to Windows 11's IExplorerCommand API. Covers the new context menu architecture, MSIX packaging, backward compatibility, and Win32 App Isolation.
The Best Open-Source Shell Extension Examples on GitHub (2026)
A curated list of the best open-source Windows Shell Extension repositories on GitHub. Learn to build context menus, icon overlays, and preview handlers in C++, C#, and Rust.
Why Your Shell Extension Isn’t Showing Up in Windows 11: The Complete Developer & User Guide
A deep dive into Windows 11 context menus, IExplorerCommand, sparse packages, and why classic IContextMenu handlers are hidden under 'Show more options'. Learn to diagnose and fix missing shell extensions.
Writing Windows Shell Extensions in C++: A 2026 Developer Guide
A masterclass for C++ developers on writing modern, stable, memory-leak-free Windows Shell Extensions. Learn IShellExtInit, IExplorerCommand, and advanced WinDbg debugging.