New+ Feature - Option to hide the built-in New context menu (37545 and 37946)

installer/PowerToysSetup/Product.wxs

@@ -206,6 +206,11 @@
       <!-- Clean Video Conference Mute registry keys that might be around from previous installations. We've deprecated this utility since then. -->
       <Custom Action="CleanVideoConferenceRegistry" Before="InstallFinalize">NOT Installed</Custom>
 
+      <!-- User may have disabled the built-in New context menu via New+ --> 
+      <Custom Action="RestoreBuiltInNewContextMenu" Before="RemoveFiles">
+         Installed AND (REMOVE="ALL")
+      </Custom>
+
     </InstallExecuteSequence>
 
     <CustomAction Id="SetLaunchPowerToysParam"
@@ -462,6 +467,14 @@
                   DllEntry="InstallCmdPalPackageCA"
                   />
 
+    <CustomAction Id="RestoreBuiltInNewContextMenu"
+                  Return="ignore"
+                  Impersonate="yes"
+                  Execute="deferred"
+                  BinaryKey="PTCustomActions"
+                  DllEntry="RestoreBuiltInNewContextMenuCA"
+                  />     
+
     <!-- Close 'PowerToys.exe' before uninstall-->
     <Property Id="MSIRESTARTMANAGERCONTROL" Value="DisableShutdown" />
     <Property Id="MSIFASTINSTALL" Value="DisableShutdown" />

installer/PowerToysSetupCustomActions/CustomAction.cpp

@@ -1153,6 +1153,65 @@ UINT __stdcall UnRegisterContextMenuPackagesCA(MSIHANDLE hInstall)
     return WcaFinalize(er);
 }
 
+UINT __stdcall RestoreBuiltInNewContextMenuCA(MSIHANDLE hInstall)
+{
+    // Must be run as administrator to open and modify the registry.
+
+    HRESULT hr = S_OK;
+    UINT er = ERROR_SUCCESS;
+
+    hr = WcaInitialize(hInstall, "RestoreBuiltInNewContextMenuCA");
+
+    try
+    {
+        const std::wstring builtInNewRegistryPath = LR"(Directory\Background\shellex\ContextMenuHandlers\New)";
+        const std::wstring newDisabledValuePrefix = L"0_";
+
+        auto regDeleter = [](HKEY* regKeyHandle) { if (regKeyHandle && *regKeyHandle) RegCloseKey(*regKeyHandle); delete regKeyHandle; };
+        std::unique_ptr<HKEY, decltype(regDeleter)> regKeyHandle(new HKEY(nullptr), regDeleter);
+
+        const LONG openStatus = RegOpenKeyExW(HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT, builtInNewRegistryPath.c_str(), 0, KEY_READ | KEY_WRITE, regKeyHandle.get());
+        if (openStatus != ERROR_SUCCESS)
+        {
+            throw std::runtime_error("Failed to open New context menu registry key.");
+        }
+
+        wchar_t buffer[256];
+        DWORD bufferSize = sizeof(buffer);
+        const LONG queryStatus = RegQueryValueExW(*regKeyHandle, nullptr, nullptr, nullptr, reinterpret_cast<LPBYTE>(buffer), &bufferSize);
+        if (queryStatus != ERROR_SUCCESS)
+        {
+            throw std::runtime_error("Failed to read New context menu registry key.");
+        }
+
+        const std::wstring builtInNewHandlerValue(buffer);
+        const bool startsWithPrefix = builtInNewHandlerValue.find(newDisabledValuePrefix) == 0;
+
+        if (!startsWithPrefix)
+        {
+            return ERROR_SUCCESS;
+        }
+
+        const std::wstring builtInNewEnabledValue = builtInNewHandlerValue.substr(newDisabledValuePrefix.length());
+        const LONG setStatus = RegSetValueExW(*regKeyHandle, nullptr, 0, REG_SZ, reinterpret_cast<const BYTE*>(builtInNewEnabledValue.c_str()), static_cast<DWORD>((builtInNewEnabledValue.length() + 1)) * sizeof(wchar_t));
+        if (setStatus != ERROR_SUCCESS)
+        {
+            throw std::runtime_error("Failed to update/restore the New context menu shell extension in the registry.");
+        }
+    }
+    catch (const std::exception& e)
+    {
+        std::string errorMessage{ "Exception thrown while trying to restore built-in New: " };
+        errorMessage += e.what();
+        Logger::error(errorMessage);
+
+        er = ERROR_INSTALL_FAILURE;
+    }
+
+    er = er == ERROR_SUCCESS ? (SUCCEEDED(hr) ? ERROR_SUCCESS : ERROR_INSTALL_FAILURE) : er;
+    return WcaFinalize(er);
+}
+
 UINT __stdcall TerminateProcessesCA(MSIHANDLE hInstall)
 {
     HRESULT hr = S_OK;

installer/PowerToysSetupCustomActions/CustomAction.def

@@ -28,3 +28,4 @@ EXPORTS
 	UninstallCommandNotFoundModuleCA
 	UpgradeCommandNotFoundModuleCA
 	UnsetAdvancedPasteAPIKeyCA
+	RestoreBuiltInNewContextMenuCA

src/settings-ui/Settings.UI/SettingsXAML/Views/NewPlusPage.xaml

@@ -84,6 +84,15 @@
                             <TextBlock x:Uid="NewPlus_Hide_Starting_Digits_Description" />
                         </tkcontrols:SettingsCard.Description>
                     </tkcontrols:SettingsCard>
+
+                    <tkcontrols:SettingsCard x:Uid="NewPlus_Hide_BuiltIn_New_Toggle" IsEnabled="{x:Bind ViewModel.IsDisableBuiltInNewSettingsCardEnabled, Mode=OneWay}">
+                        <ToggleSwitch x:Uid="DisableBuiltInNewToggle" IsOn="{x:Bind ViewModel.HideBuiltInNew, Mode=TwoWay}" />
+                    </tkcontrols:SettingsCard>
+                    <InfoBar
+                        x:Uid="Elevation_Required"
+                        IsClosable="True"
+                        IsOpen="{x:Bind ViewModel.IsEnabledAndNotElevated, Mode=OneWay}"
+                        Severity="Informational" />
                 </controls:SettingsGroup>
 
                 <controls:SettingsGroup x:Uid="NewPlus_behavior" IsEnabled="{x:Bind ViewModel.IsEnabled, Mode=OneWay}">

src/settings-ui/Settings.UI/Strings/en-us/Resources.resw

@@ -4451,6 +4451,10 @@ Activate by holding the key for the character you want to add an accent to, then
     <value>This option is useful when using digits, spaces and dots at the beginning of filenames to control the display order of templates</value>
     <comment>Template filename starting digits settings toggle</comment>
   </data>
+  <data name="NewPlus_Hide_BuiltIn_New_Toggle.Header" xml:space="preserve">
+    <value>Hide the built-in New context menu</value>
+    <comment>Localize New in accordance with Windows New</comment>
+  </data>
   <data name="NewPlus_behavior.Header" xml:space="preserve">
     <value>Behavior</value>
     <comment>New+ behavior related settings label</comment>
@@ -5047,4 +5051,7 @@ To record a specific window, enter the hotkey with the Alt key in the opposite m
   <data name="BugReportUnderConstruction" xml:space="preserve">
     <value>Bug report package is being created</value>
   </data>
+  <data name="Elevation_Required.Title" xml:space="preserve">
+    <value>To change this setting you'll need to run PowerToys as administrator. You can restart PowerToys as administrator on the General page.</value>
+  </data>
 </root>

src/settings-ui/Settings.UI/ViewModels/NewPlusViewModel.cs

@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@
 using System.Diagnostics;
 using System.Globalization;
 using System.IO;
+using System.Security.Principal;
 using System.Text.Json;
 using System.Threading.Tasks;
 using System.Windows;
@@ -17,7 +18,7 @@
 using Microsoft.PowerToys.Settings.UI.Library.Utilities;
 using Microsoft.PowerToys.Settings.UI.Library.ViewModels.Commands;
 using Microsoft.PowerToys.Settings.UI.SerializationContext;
-
+using Microsoft.Win32;
 using static Microsoft.PowerToys.Settings.UI.Helpers.ShellGetFolder;
 
 namespace Microsoft.PowerToys.Settings.UI.ViewModels
@@ -31,6 +32,9 @@ public partial class NewPlusViewModel : Observable
         private NewPlusSettings Settings { get; set; }
 
         private const string ModuleName = NewPlusSettings.ModuleName;
+        private const string BuiltInNewRegistryPath = @"HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Directory\Background\shellex\ContextMenuHandlers\New";
+        private const string NewDisabledValuePrefix = "0_";
+        private const string BuiltNewCOMGuid = "{D969A300-E7FF-11d0-A93B-00A0C90F2719}";
 
         public NewPlusViewModel(ISettingsUtils settingsUtils, ISettingsRepository<GeneralSettings> settingsRepository, Func<string, int> ipcMSGCallBackFunc)
         {
@@ -51,6 +55,8 @@ public NewPlusViewModel(ISettingsUtils settingsUtils, ISettingsRepository<Genera
             InitializeEnabledValue();
             InitializeGpoValues();
 
+            _disableBuiltInNew = !IsBuiltInNewEnabled();
+
             // set the callback functions value to handle outgoing IPC message.
             SendConfigMSG = ipcMSGCallBackFunc;
         }
@@ -96,6 +102,8 @@ public bool IsEnabled
                     OnPropertyChanged(nameof(IsHideFileExtSettingGPOConfigured));
                     OnPropertyChanged(nameof(IsReplaceVariablesSettingGPOConfigured));
                     OnPropertyChanged(nameof(IsReplaceVariablesSettingsCardEnabled));
+                    OnPropertyChanged(nameof(IsDisableBuiltInNewSettingsCardEnabled));
+                    OnPropertyChanged(nameof(IsEnabledAndNotElevated));
 
                     OutGoingGeneralSettings outgoingMessage = new OutGoingGeneralSettings(GeneralSettingsConfig);
                     SendConfigMSG(outgoingMessage.ToString());
@@ -110,6 +118,13 @@ public bool IsEnabled
             }
         }
 
+        private bool IsElevated()
+        {
+            WindowsIdentity identity = WindowsIdentity.GetCurrent();
+            WindowsPrincipal principal = new WindowsPrincipal(identity);
+            return principal.IsInRole(WindowsBuiltInRole.Administrator);
+        }
+
         public bool IsWin10OrLower
         {
             get => !OSVersionHelper.IsWindows11();
@@ -164,6 +179,8 @@ public bool HideFileExtension
 
         public bool IsReplaceVariablesSettingGPOConfigured => _isNewPlusEnabled && _replaceVariablesIsGPOConfigured;
 
+        public bool IsDisableBuiltInNewSettingsCardEnabled => _isNewPlusEnabled && IsElevated();
+
         public bool HideStartingDigits
         {
             get => _hideStartingDigits;
@@ -206,11 +223,44 @@ public bool ReplaceVariables
             }
         }
 
+        public bool HideBuiltInNew
+        {
+            get
+            {
+                return _disableBuiltInNew;
+            }
+
+            set
+            {
+                if (_disableBuiltInNew != value)
+                {
+                    if (_disableBuiltInNew)
+                    {
+                        EnableBuiltInNew();
+                    }
+                    else
+                    {
+                        DisableBuiltInNew();
+                    }
+
+                    _disableBuiltInNew = value;
+                    OnPropertyChanged(nameof(DisableBuiltInNew));
+
+                    NotifySettingsChanged();
+                }
+            }
+        }
+
         public bool IsEnabledGpoConfigured
         {
             get => _enabledStateIsGPOConfigured;
         }
 
+        public bool IsEnabledAndNotElevated
+        {
+            get => _isNewPlusEnabled && !IsElevated();
+        }
+
         public ButtonClickCommand OpenCurrentNewTemplateFolder => new ButtonClickCommand(OpenNewTemplateFolder);
 
         public ButtonClickCommand PickAnotherNewTemplateFolder => new ButtonClickCommand(PickNewTemplateFolder);
@@ -271,6 +321,7 @@ public static void CopyTemplateExamples(string templateLocation)
         private bool _hideFileExtension;
         private bool _hideStartingDigits;
         private bool _replaceVariables;
+        private bool _disableBuiltInNew;
 
         private GpoRuleConfigured _enabledGpoRuleConfiguration;
         private bool _enabledStateIsGPOConfigured;
@@ -317,5 +368,69 @@ private async Task<string> PickFolderDialog()
             var hwnd = WinRT.Interop.WindowNative.GetWindowHandle(App.GetSettingsWindow());
             return await Task.FromResult(GetFolderDialogWithFlags(hwnd, FolderDialogFlags._BIF_NEWDIALOGSTYLE));
         }
+
+        private bool IsBuiltInNewEnabled()
+        {
+            try
+            {
+                string builtInNewHandlerValue = Registry.GetValue(BuiltInNewRegistryPath, string.Empty, null) as string;
+
+                return IsValidRegistryCOMFormatGuid(builtInNewHandlerValue);
+            }
+            catch (Exception ex)
+            {
+                Logger.LogError("Failed to determine built-in New enablement status.", ex);
+            }
+
+            return false;
+        }
+
+        private static bool IsValidRegistryCOMFormatGuid(string input)
+        {
+            return Guid.TryParseExact(input, "B", out _);
+        }
+
+        private void DisableBuiltInNew()
+        {
+            try
+            {
+                string builtInNewHandlerValue = Registry.GetValue(BuiltInNewRegistryPath, string.Empty, null) as string;
+
+                if (builtInNewHandlerValue.StartsWith(NewDisabledValuePrefix, StringComparison.OrdinalIgnoreCase))
+                {
+                    // Already disabled
+                    return;
+                }
+
+                Debug.Assert(builtInNewHandlerValue == BuiltNewCOMGuid, "Unexpected GUID encountered while disabling built-in New");
+                string newDisabledValue = NewDisabledValuePrefix + builtInNewHandlerValue;
+                Registry.SetValue(BuiltInNewRegistryPath, string.Empty, newDisabledValue);
+            }
+            catch (Exception ex)
+            {
+                Logger.LogError("Failed to disable built-in New in the registry.", ex);
+                MessageBox.Show(ex.Message);
+            }
+        }
+
+        private void EnableBuiltInNew()
+        {
+            try
+            {
+                string builtInNewHandlerValue = Registry.GetValue(BuiltInNewRegistryPath, string.Empty, null) as string;
+
+                if (builtInNewHandlerValue.StartsWith(NewDisabledValuePrefix, StringComparison.OrdinalIgnoreCase))
+                {
+                    string newEnabledValue = builtInNewHandlerValue.Substring(NewDisabledValuePrefix.Length);
+                    Debug.Assert(newEnabledValue == BuiltNewCOMGuid, "Unexpected GUID encountered while reenabling built-in New");
+                    Registry.SetValue(BuiltInNewRegistryPath, string.Empty, newEnabledValue);
+                }
+            }
+            catch (Exception ex)
+            {
+                Logger.LogError("Failed to enable built-in New in the registry.", ex);
+                MessageBox.Show(ex.Message);
+            }
+        }
     }
 }