Shell verbs — the items in your right-click menu — can register per user under HKCU\Software\Classes. That's the official support leg for a “personal” context menu; no admin rights at any point.
The small topology
HKCU\Software\Classes\*\shell\<verb>
verb shown on any file
HKCU\Software\Classes\Directory\shell\<verb>
verb shown on folders
HKCU\Software\Classes\Directory\Background\shell\<verb>
verb on the folder background itself
Each verb's command subkey carries the template with %1 pointing to the target. Icon and MUIVerb values control label and icon.
The catches
- Merging, not replacing: HKCU\Classes merges over HKCR at view time. If a system verb exists with the same name, the per-user one wins for you — a versioning hazard if the app later upgrades the machine entry.
- Windows 11 condensed menu: custom verbs land behind “Show more options” by default. Forcing the old menu requires a separate, documented HKCU peek (see its own post); it's reversible.
- No unbounded magic: shell extension DLLs (IContextMenu handlers) only work machine-registered. Per-user is verbs only — simpler, safer, and the reason per-user tools can't crash your shell with extension code.
Per-user verbs are the rare customization with a safe blast radius: worst case, your account's menu has a stale entry you delete — no other user's context is touched.
ProofTune ProjectEngineering notes — every claim here names the bytes a real tool touches. Verify first, install second.