Customize the Send To Menu for Faster File Copying in Windows 10/11

Customize the Send To Menu for Faster File Copying in Windows 10/11​

Difficulty: Beginner | Time Required: 10 minutes

Introduction​

If you often copy files to the same places—such as a backup folder, USB drive, OneDrive folder, network share, “Work Uploads” folder, or photo archive—the Windows Send to menu can save you a lot of clicking.
Instead of opening two File Explorer windows, dragging files around, or browsing through several folders, you can right-click a file and send a copy directly to a favorite destination. Windows has supported the Send to menu for many years, and it still works in both Windows 10 and Windows 11.
This tutorial shows you how to add your own folders to the Send to menu so you can copy files faster.

Prerequisites​

Before you begin, you need:

• A Windows 10 or Windows 11 PC
• A folder you want to add to the Send to menu
• Basic access to File Explorer
• Optional: a USB drive, external drive, or network folder you frequently use

Note: You do not need administrator rights for normal per-user Send To customizations. The Send To folder used in this guide belongs to your Windows user profile.

What Is the Send To Menu?​

The Send to menu appears when you right-click a file or folder in File Explorer. It usually includes items such as:

• Desktop shortcut
• Documents
• Compressed zipped folder
• Bluetooth device, on some systems
• Mail recipient, depending on installed apps

You can customize this menu by adding shortcuts to folders, drives, or locations you use often.
When you add a folder shortcut to the Send To folder, Windows shows that shortcut as a destination in the Send to menu.

Step 1: Open the Send To Folder​

The easiest way to customize the menu is to open the hidden Send To folder directly.

1. Press Windows key + R to open the Run box.
2. Type the following command:
   shell:sendto
3. Press Enter or click OK.
4. File Explorer opens the Send To folder for your user account.

You should now see a folder containing shortcuts and special Send To items.

Tip: You can also open this location by typing the following path into File Explorer’s address bar:
%AppData%\Microsoft\Windows\SendTo

This opens the same folder, but using shell:sendto is faster and easier to remember.

Step 2: Choose the Folder You Want to Add​

Now decide which destination you want to add to your Send To menu.
Good examples include:

• A folder called To Backup
• Your OneDrive or Dropbox folder
• A folder on another drive, such as D:\Archive
• A USB drive folder
• A network folder used for shared documents
• A folder for screenshots, receipts, scanned documents, or photos

For best results, choose a folder that already exists and that you use frequently.

Warning: Avoid adding too many destinations. A cluttered Send To menu becomes slower to use and harder to read. Add only the locations you truly use often.

Step 3: Add a Folder Shortcut to the Send To Menu​

With the Send To folder still open, create a shortcut to your destination folder.

1. Right-click an empty area inside the Send To folder.
2. Select New.
3. Select Shortcut.
4. In the shortcut location box, click Browse.
5. Navigate to the folder you want to add.
6. Select the folder and click OK.
7. Click Next.
8. Give the shortcut a clear name, such as:
   Work Uploads
   or:
   Photo Backup
9. Click Finish.

Your new shortcut now appears inside the Send To folder.
That shortcut name is what you will see in the Send to menu.

Step 4: Test the New Send To Destination​

Now test your new shortcut.

On Windows 10​

1. Open File Explorer.
2. Right-click a file you want to copy.
3. Select Send to.
4. Choose your new destination from the list.
5. Check the destination folder to confirm the file was copied.

On Windows 11​

Windows 11 has a redesigned right-click menu, so the Send To menu may be one level deeper.

1. Open File Explorer.
2. Right-click a file.
3. Select Show more options.
4. Select Send to.
5. Choose your new destination.

You can also use the keyboard shortcut Shift + F10 after selecting a file to open the classic context menu, where Send to is usually available.

Tip: If you use the Send To menu frequently in Windows 11, Shift + F10 can be faster than right-clicking and choosing Show more options.

Step 5: Rename Send To Items for Clarity​

If your Send To menu becomes confusing, you can rename the shortcuts.

1. Press Windows key + R.
2. Type:
   shell:sendto
3. Press Enter.
4. Right-click the shortcut you want to rename.
5. Select Rename.
6. Enter a shorter, clearer name.

For example, instead of:
Shortcut to Documents - Client Upload Folder
rename it to:
Client Uploads
Short names are easier to scan in the right-click menu.

Step 6: Remove Items You Do Not Use​

You can also clean up the Send To menu by removing shortcuts you no longer need.

1. Open the Send To folder with:
   shell:sendto
2. Right-click an unwanted shortcut.
3. Select Delete.
4. Confirm the deletion if prompted.

This only removes the shortcut from the Send To menu. It does not delete the original destination folder.

Important: Be careful when deleting items from the Send To folder. Most items are safe to remove, but if you are unsure, move the shortcut to another temporary folder first instead of deleting it permanently.

Step 7: Add a Drive or USB Folder​

You can also add shortcuts to removable drives, such as USB flash drives or external hard drives.
For example, if your USB drive contains a folder named Transfer, you can add that folder to the Send To menu.

1. Connect the USB drive.
2. Open the Send To folder using:
   shell:sendto
3. Create a new shortcut.
4. Browse to the USB folder.
5. Name the shortcut something clear, such as:
   USB Transfer
6. Click Finish.

Note: If the USB drive is disconnected, the Send To shortcut may not work until the drive is plugged in again. Also, Windows may assign a different drive letter to removable drives on some systems.

Step 8: Add a Network Folder​

If you regularly copy files to a shared folder on another PC or server, the Send To menu can help.

1. Make sure the network location is available.
2. Open the Send To folder.
3. Create a new shortcut.
4. Enter or browse to the network path.
5. Name the shortcut clearly.

Example names:
Office Share
NAS Backup
Team Documents

Warning: If the network location is unavailable, disconnected, or requires credentials, the Send To action may fail or take longer than expected.

Tips and Troubleshooting​

My New Item Does Not Appear in the Send To Menu​

Try these fixes:

1. Close and reopen File Explorer.
2. Make sure the shortcut is inside the Send To folder.
3. Confirm that the shortcut points to a valid folder.
4. Rename the shortcut if the name is too long or unclear.
5. Restart Windows Explorer from Task Manager if needed.

I Accidentally Moved a Folder into the Send To Folder​

This can happen if you drag and drop a folder instead of creating a shortcut.
To avoid this, use New > Shortcut as shown above.
If you already moved a folder by mistake:

1. Open the Send To folder.
2. Locate the folder you moved.
3. Cut it from the Send To folder.
4. Paste it back where it belongs.
5. Create a shortcut instead.

Can I Send Multiple Files at Once?​

Yes. Select multiple files, right-click one of the selected files, and use Send to as usual. Windows will send the selected items to the destination.

Does Send To Move or Copy Files?​

For normal folder destinations, the Send To menu is commonly used to copy files to the selected location. This makes it useful for quick backups, transfers, and duplicate filing.
However, behavior can vary depending on the destination type. For example, sending to Desktop create shortcut creates a shortcut, and sending to Compressed zipped folder creates a zip archive.

Keep the Menu Simple​

The Send To menu works best when it contains a small number of useful destinations. If you add every folder you use, it becomes just another cluttered menu.
A good setup might include:

• Backup
• USB Transfer
• OneDrive Uploads
• Client Documents
• Photo Archive

Conclusion​

Customizing the Send to menu is a simple but powerful way to speed up everyday file management in Windows 10 and Windows 11. By adding shortcuts to your most-used folders, drives, and network locations, you can copy files with just a few clicks.
This is especially helpful if you regularly organize downloads, move work files, back up documents, or transfer files to external storage.
Once configured, the Send To menu becomes a handy personal shortcut system built directly into File Explorer.
Key Takeaways:

• The Send To menu can be customized for your Windows user account.
• Use shell:sendto to quickly open the Send To folder.
• Add shortcuts to frequently used folders, drives, or network locations.
• In Windows 11, use Show more options or Shift + F10 to access the classic Send To menu.
• Keep the menu clean by removing destinations you no longer use.

---

This tutorial was generated to help WindowsForum.com users get the most out of their Windows experience.

Structured References Used​

• Microsoft Support confirms that Windows 10 and Windows 11 include right-click Send to functionality, including Send to > Desktop (create shortcut). (support.microsoft.com)
• Microsoft Learn documentation for Windows 11 context menus explains that the classic context menu is available through Show more options and Shift + F10. (learn.microsoft.com)
• Microsoft Q&A community guidance identifies the per-user SendTo folder path as %AppData%\Microsoft\Windows\SendTo and notes that it resolves under the user profile’s AppData Roaming path. (learn.microsoft.com)

---

References​

1. Official source: support.microsoft.com
   
   Loading…

   support.microsoft.com
2. Official source: learn.microsoft.com
   
   Loading…

   learn.microsoft.com