How to Add Google Docs to the Windows 10 Context Menu

Google Docs is a popular online word processor that lets you create, edit, and collaborate on documents. It’s convenient to access Google Docs directly from the Windows context menu to quickly open and edit files. Here’s how to add Google Docs to the right-click context menu in Windows 10.

What is the Windows Context Menu?

The Windows context menu, also called the right-click menu, appears when you right-click on a file, folder, or other Windows element. It provides quick access to common commands and actions for the selected item.

By default, the Windows context menu includes basic options like Cut, Copy, Paste, Delete, Properties, etc. You can customize it by adding or removing items, including shortcuts to launch applications like Google Docs.

Why Add Google Docs to the Context Menu?

Here are some benefits of adding a Google Docs shortcut to the Windows context menu:

Quick access: Launch and open files instantly in Google Docs without having to first open your browser.
Work anywhere: Edit documents from File Explorer even if Google Docs website is not open.

Save time: Eliminates a few clicks every time you want to access Google Docs.
Better workflow: Keep your work contained within File Explorer for a smoother experience.

Methods to Add Google Docs to the Context Menu

There are a couple ways to add Google Docs to the Windows context menu. The easiest method is using a small third-party tool. If you’re comfortable editing the registry, you can also do it manually.

Using a Context Menu Editor

Third-party context menu editors like Easy Context Menu make the process very simple. Here are the steps:

Download and install Easy Context Menu.
Launch the app and go to the “Files” or “Folders” section.

Scroll down and enable the “Open With Google Docs” option.
Click “Apply Changes” to add it to the context menu.

This will instantly add the “Open With Google Docs” command when you right-click files and folders in File Explorer.

Manually Editing the Registry

You can also manually edit a registry key to add the Google Docs shortcut, but this method is more complex. Here are the steps:

Type regedit into the Windows search box and open Registry Editor.
Navigate to HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\*\shell.

Right-click the shell key and create a new key named Docs.
In the Docs key, create a string value named Icon and set its value data to a Google Docs icon file path, like C:\Program Files\Google\Drive\googledrivesync.exe,1.
In Docs, create another key named command.

In command, create a string value named (default) and set its value data to the Google Docs URL, like "C:\Program Files\Google\Chrome\Application\chrome.exe" --app=https://docs.google.com/a/yourdomain.com "%1".
Click File > Exit to close Registry Editor and apply changes.

Now the “Open With Google Docs” option will appear in the right-click menu for files and folders.

Customizing the Context Menu Entry

You can customize the context menu entry for Google Docs in a few ways:

Change Label: To change the text shown in the menu from “Open With Google Docs” to something else, modify the name of the Docs key you created in the registry.
Add Icon: Set the path to a different .ico file in the Icon value within the Docs key to show a custom icon.

Integrate Other Apps: Similarly, you can add context menu shortcuts to open files with other apps like Microsoft Office Online by pointing to their URL.

Troubleshooting Issues

If you don’t see the Google Docs option after adding it to the context menu, try these troubleshooting tips:

Restart File Explorer from the Task Manager.

Clear the icon cache – type ie4uinit -show into Command Prompt and restart Explorer.
Check if the Docs registry key is present at HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\*\shell\Docs.
Confirm the path to the Google Docs executable in the registry value data is valid.

Conclusion

Adding Google Docs to the Windows context menu takes just a few simple steps but provides helpful quick access to editing and opening documents.

The easiest way is to use a context menu customizer like Easy Context Menu. But you can also do it by manually editing the registry if desired.

Customize the entry to your needs by changing the label, icon, or even integrating web apps like Microsoft Office Online. With Google Docs in the right-click menu, your workflow will become smoother.