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Winamp 5 - Misc

Remove Explorer Shell Extensions

SUMMARY: Remove Explorer context menu extensions to queue files to or play files in Winamp.

Depending on your Winamp 5 configuration, it may have installed various shell extensions to Windows Explorer. These allow you to right-click multimedia files to play or enqueue them, or to add files to Winamp 5's Bookmark list.

If you'd rather clean up the Explorer context menu by disabling these extensions, do the following:

A. During the install procedure, step 4 in the "Winamp Setup" dialog box is "Associations". Near the bottom of the dialog box, uncheck "Show Winamp in Folder context menus in Windows Explorer". If you've already installed Winamp, don't worry - you can do this from Winamp's Preferences dialog as seen below.



Preventing Winamp from adding extensions to Explorer during the installer



B. After installing Winamp, do the following:

1. Access the "Winamp Preferences" dialog box. You can click on the "Main Menu" button, choosing "Options" - "Preferences". Or, right-click on the title bar and choose "Options" - "Preferences". Or, press Ctrl + P.


Accessing Winamp 5 Preferences



2. When the "Winamp Preferences" dialog box appears, click "File Types" in the left side of the window.

3. In the right side of the window, underneath "Explorer Settings", if checked, uncheck "Show Winamp in the folder context menus in Windows Explorer".


Removing Winamp from folder context menus in Explorer



4. Click "Shell Options" in the left side of the window.

5. In the right side of the window, uncheck "Add 'Enqueue and Play' to Winamp's associated file types".

6. Underneath "Windows Explorer Menu Control", click on all of the highlighted entries to remove their highlights EXCEPT "Play in Winamp" underneath "File Context Menu".


Removing Winamp from Explorer's right-click menu for multimedia files



While removing this last highlighted entry removes all Winamp-related entries from the Explorer context menu, if you remove this entry, double-clicking associated multimedia files in Explorer may not play them in Winamp as expected. You may still be able to right-click files and choose "Open" to play them in Winamp.

This may be a bug, as Winamp keeps this default "Open" entry available in Explorer, but does not make it the default action. Advanced Windows users that want to remove all Winamp context menu entries can go to the Windows "Edit File Types" section of Explorer's "Folder Options", and for each related multimedia file type, make the "open" action a default action. This way double-clicking multimedia files will once again open them in Winamp.

7. Press "Close" to exit the "Winamp Preferences" dialog box.

This tip was written regarding Winamp 5.57 on a Windows XP machine using the default skin (Bento). Features, information, and screenshots may differ between versions and operating systems, as well as with your chosen Winamp skin.

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The MalekTips website was created in 1998 by Andrew Malek of Envision Programming. The page's goal is to freely disperse computer-related tips, hints, and informative articles. Tips are organized to be easy to find, and are presented clearly, in easy-to-understand language. MalekTips also provides information and links to public-domain, open source, freeware, shareware, and commercial software available for download. < more >