The Send To menu is one of the handiest things on the Windows right-click menu. It copies a file or folder to another place on your computer in two clicks, without you having to open the folder it’s going to.
The trouble is that in Windows 11 it’s been tucked out of sight, and a recent update has changed the right-click menu yet again. So a lot of people can’t find Send To at all.
In this guide I’ll show you where the Send To menu is in Windows 11 and Windows 10, how to use it, how to add your own folders to it and how to remove the items you’re never going to use.
The Short Version
- Right-click a file or folder and move your pointer onto Send to. In Windows 11, click Show more options first.
- Click the place you want to send it to. Windows puts a copy there.
- To change what’s on the menu, press the Windows key + R, type shell:sendto and click OK.
- In the folder that opens, add a shortcut to any folder you want on the menu, and delete the ones you don’t want.
How to Use the Send To Menu in Windows
The Send To menu has been part of Windows for decades, and it works the same way in Windows 11 and Windows 10. You use it to send a copy of a file or folder to another folder, another drive, or a device such as a USB stick.
- Right-click the file or folder you want to send.
- Move your pointer onto Send to. A second menu opens, showing every place you can send it.
- Left-click the destination. For example, click Documents to put a copy in your Documents folder.
That’s all there is to it. It’s a lot quicker than copy and paste, because you never have to open the folder you’re sending to.
It isn’t limited to one file at a time either. Select several files first, right-click any one of them, and Send To will send the lot.
If you’re using Windows 11 and there’s no Send to on your right-click menu, don’t worry. It’s still there, and I’ll show you where in the next section.
Send To Makes a Copy
When you send a file to a folder or a drive, Windows puts a copy there and leaves the original where it was. So you end up with two.
If you’d rather move the file, hold down the Shift key as you click the destination. That works for folders you’ve added to the menu yourself, but not for the Documents entry that comes with Windows.
What Is on the Send To Menu?
A new Windows PC comes with a handful of destinations already on the menu.
- Bluetooth device. Sends the file wirelessly to another device that’s paired with your PC, such as a phone or a laptop.
- Compressed (zipped) folder. Makes a zip file containing whatever you right-clicked.
- Desktop (create shortcut). Puts a shortcut to the file or folder on your desktop.
- Documents. Copies it into your Documents folder.
- Fax recipient. Opens Windows Fax and Scan. You’ll only see this one if Fax and Scan is installed on your PC.
- Mail recipient. Attaches the file to a new email, as long as you have an email program installed.
- Your drives. Any USB stick, external hard drive or DVD drive that’s connected appears at the bottom of the list. It’s the quickest way I know to copy files to a USB drive.
Most people will never use half of those, which is why it’s worth spending a few minutes adding your own folders and clearing out the rest.
What Does Send To Desktop (Create Shortcut) Mean?
This one catches a lot of people out, because it doesn’t actually send the file anywhere.
Choosing Send to and then Desktop (create shortcut) leaves the file or folder exactly where it is, and puts a shortcut to it on your desktop. Double-click the shortcut and the original opens.
A shortcut is only a signpost. You can spot one by the small arrow in the corner of its icon, and if you delete it, the real file isn’t touched.
It’s a handy way to keep a folder or document that you use every day within easy reach. Once it’s there, you can arrange your desktop icons however you like.
Where Is Send To in Windows 11?
Windows 11 has a much shorter right-click menu than Windows 10, and Send to isn’t on it to begin with.
How you get to it depends on which version of the right-click menu your PC has. You can tell which one you’ve got by looking at the very bottom of the menu.
If the Menu Ends with Show More Options
This is the menu that Windows 11 has had since it first came out, and plenty of PCs still have it.
- Right-click the file or folder.
- Click Show more options at the bottom of the menu.
- The full menu opens, and it’s the same one that Windows 10 has. Move your pointer onto Send to and choose your destination.
If the Menu Ends with Customise Menu
At the end of October 2026, Microsoft started rolling out a new right-click menu for Windows 11 (versions 25H2 and 26H2). It’s being switched on gradually, so some PCs have it already and others will get it later.
You’ll know you have it if the last item on the menu is Customise menu instead of Show more options. On a PC set to US English it’s spelled Customize menu.
The good news is that the new menu lets you put Send to on the main right-click menu, so there’s no extra click every time. It’s usually switched off to begin with, so you turn it on once.
- Right-click any file and click Customise menu. That opens the Context menu page in Settings. You can also get there from Settings > Personalisation > Context menu.
- Under File actions, turn on the switch beside Send to.
- Close Settings and right-click a file. Send to is now on the first menu.
On the same page, under Additional options, there’s a switch that brings back Show more options if you miss it.
Not Got the New Menu Yet?
It arrives through Windows Update, so the first thing to do is make sure Windows is up to date.
Even then you may have to wait, because Microsoft switches it on for a few PCs at a time. In the meantime, Show more options still gets you to Send to.
What About Shift + Right Click?
You’ll often see it suggested that you hold down the Shift key while you right-click. That does skip the short menu and open the full one straight away.
But there’s a catch. When I tested it, the Send To list was shorter than normal. Documents had gone from it, and so had my drive.
So for Send To, my advice is to use Show more options instead. It’s one more click, but you get the complete list every time.
If you’d like the full menu to open every time you right-click, with no extra click, I’ve a separate guide on how to restore the old right click menu in Windows 11.
The Windows Send To Folder
The entries on the Send To menu are just shortcuts, and they’re all kept in one special folder called SendTo. Whatever is in that folder appears on the menu.
So to change the menu, you change what’s in the folder. Add a shortcut and you get a new destination. Delete one and it disappears from the menu.
Where Is the Send To Folder in Windows 11 and Windows 10?
The Send To folder location is the same in Windows 11, Windows 10 and even Windows 7. It’s inside the AppData folder of your user account.
C:\Users\YourName\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\SendToSwap YourName for the name of your own user folder.
AppData is a hidden folder, so you won’t see it if you try to click your way there in File Explorer. Luckily you don’t need to, because there’s a much quicker way in.
How to Open the Send To Folder with shell:sendto
Press the Windows key and the letter R on your keyboard at the same time. That opens the Run box.
Type this into the box, or copy and paste it from here, then click OK.
shell:sendto
It’s typed with a colon after shell and no spaces, and capital letters don’t matter. If you put a space in it, as in shell sendto or shell send to, it won’t work.
You can also type the same command into the address bar at the top of any File Explorer window and press Enter.
The SendTo folder opens in a File Explorer window, showing the shortcuts that make up your menu.
How to Add Items to the Windows Send To Menu
To add a folder or a drive to the Send To menu, you put a shortcut to it inside the SendTo folder.
I’m going to add the Pictures folder as my example, but it works for any folder, including one on an external drive or in OneDrive.
Start by opening the SendTo folder with shell:sendto, as shown above.
Adding Entries to the Send To Folder
- Right-click on an empty space inside the SendTo folder.
- Move your pointer onto New.
- On the second menu, left-click Shortcut.
Select a Send To Destination
- The Create Shortcut window opens. Click the Browse button.
- Find the folder you want to add. Clicking This PC shows your main folders and drives.
- Click the folder once to select it, then click OK.
- You’re returned to the Create Shortcut window, with the location of your folder filled in for you. Click Next.
Name That Shortcut
You can give your new shortcut any name you like. This is the name that appears on the Send To menu, so pick something that makes sense to you.
Type it into the name box, or leave the suggested name as it is, then click Finish.
Your New Location Is Added to the Send To Menu
Your new shortcut appears in the SendTo folder, and that’s the job done. There’s nothing to save and you don’t need to restart the computer.
Now test it. Right-click on a file, move to Send to, and check that your new location is on the list.
For Example
Good folders to add are the ones you copy things to again and again. A backup folder on an external drive, your OneDrive folder, a folder for paperwork you’ve scanned, or a ‘To Sort’ folder for anything you want to deal with later.
A Quicker Way: Drag a Folder into the Send To Folder
Once you’re comfortable with shortcuts, there’s a faster way to add one. Open the SendTo folder in one window, and find the folder you want to add in another.
- Hold down the right mouse button and drag the folder into the SendTo window.
- Let go of the button, then click Create shortcuts here on the small menu that appears.
Quick Tip
Make sure it’s a shortcut that ends up in the SendTo folder, and not the folder itself. A shortcut has a small arrow in the corner of its icon.
If you drag with the left button by mistake, you’ll move the real folder into SendTo. No harm done, press Ctrl + Z straight away to put it back.
Add a Program to the Send To Menu
Send To isn’t only for folders. Put a shortcut to a program in the SendTo folder, and sending a file to it opens the file in that program.
For example, to add Notepad, create a new shortcut in the same way as before. But instead of clicking Browse, type notepad.exe into the location box, click Next and then Finish.
From then on you can right-click a file and send it straight to Notepad, whatever program it would normally open in. It’s another way to open a file in a different program.
How to Remove Entries from the Send To Menu
A shorter menu is quicker to use, so it’s a good idea to remove any items that you’re not likely to need. You can remove the ones Windows put there as well as the ones you’ve added.
- Open the SendTo folder. Press the Windows key + R, type shell:sendto and click OK.
- Click once on the item you don’t want.
- Press the Delete key on your keyboard, or right-click the item and choose Delete.
You’re not deleting anything from your computer. These are only shortcuts, so the folder, drive or program that each one points to is left alone.
Deleted shortcuts go to the Recycle Bin, so if you change your mind you can restore one from there.
To change the name of an entry instead of removing it, click it once, press F2 and type the new name.
Why Can’t I Remove a Drive from the Send To Menu?
USB sticks, external hard drives, DVD drives and network drives are added to the menu by Windows itself. They aren’t shortcuts, so you won’t find them in the SendTo folder and there’s nothing to delete.
A USB stick or external drive only shows while it’s plugged in. Unplug it and it drops off the list.
Troubleshooting the Send To Menu
The Send To Option Is Missing in Windows 11
It’s almost certainly still there, just hidden. Click Show more options at the bottom of the right-click menu, and you’ll find Send to on the full menu that opens.
If your menu ends with Customise menu instead, Send to is switched off. Click Customise menu and turn it on under File actions, as shown in the Windows 11 section above.
Documents or a Drive Is Missing from the Send To List
This happens when you open the right-click menu by holding down Shift. Windows gives you a cut-down Send To list, without Documents or your drives.
Close the menu and right-click the file again without Shift. Then click Show more options, and the full list is back.
The Target Can’t Handle This Type of Document
You’ll see this error message if you hold down Shift while clicking Documents on the Send To menu.
Holding Shift tells Windows to move the file instead of copying it. But the Documents entry that comes with Windows isn’t an ordinary shortcut, and it can only copy. So Windows gives up and shows the error.
You can see the difference for yourself in the SendTo folder. In the Type column, Documents is listed as a MyDocs Drop Target, not a Shortcut.
Click OK. Nothing has been moved or lost, and your file is still where it was.
To move a file into Documents, use cut and paste instead. Or click Documents without holding Shift, then delete the original.
Compressed (Zipped) Folder or Desktop (Create Shortcut) Is Missing
The entries that come with Windows are kept in the SendTo folder like everything else, so they can be deleted by accident.
Look in the Recycle Bin first. If the missing item is in there, right-click it and choose Restore.
If it’s long gone, Windows keeps a spare copy of three of them: Compressed (zipped) folder, Desktop (create shortcut) and Mail recipient. Copy the line below, paste it into the address bar at the top of a File Explorer window and press Enter.
C:\Users\Default\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\SendToCopy the item you’re missing from that folder, then paste it into your own SendTo folder.
Documents and Bluetooth device aren’t in the spare set. If it’s Documents you’ve lost, add it back yourself as a shortcut, using the steps earlier in this guide.
Send To Mail Recipient Is Not Working
Mail recipient passes the file to an email program installed on your PC, such as classic Outlook or Thunderbird.
It can’t work with email that you read in a web browser, such as Gmail or Yahoo Mail. And Microsoft says the new Outlook app doesn’t support it either, so you may see an Outlook setup window pop up instead of a new email.
If that’s you, my advice is to remove Mail recipient from the menu and attach the file from inside your email instead.
The Send To Menu Is Slow to Open
If the menu hangs for a few seconds before it appears, one of the entries is usually pointing at something Windows can’t reach. A network drive that’s switched off is the usual culprit, or a shortcut to a folder that no longer exists.
Open the SendTo folder and delete any shortcuts to places that have gone. If you never send files by Bluetooth, removing Bluetooth device is worth trying as well.
Send To Menu FAQ
Q: Does Send To copy or move files?
A: It copies. The original stays where it was and a copy is put in the place you chose, so it does the same job as copy and paste in fewer clicks. To move the file instead, hold down the Shift key while you click the destination. That works for folders you have added yourself, but not for the built-in Documents entry.
Q: Is there a keyboard shortcut for Send To?
A: No. Windows has no shortcut key for Send To, it’s only on the right-click menu. You may see Shift + F10 followed by N suggested, but when I tried that on Windows 11 it opened the Phone Link app instead.
Q: How do I edit the Send To menu?
A: Press the Windows key + R, type shell:sendto and click OK. The folder that opens holds a shortcut for every entry on the menu. Add a shortcut to add an entry, delete one to remove it, or rename one to change what the menu calls it.
Q: Does the Send To menu work the same in Windows 10 and Windows 7?
A: Yes. In Windows 10 and Windows 7, Send to is on the normal right-click menu, and shell:sendto opens the same folder. Only Windows 11 hides it behind an extra step.
Q: Can I add a folder on a USB drive or in OneDrive to the Send To menu?
A: Yes. Any folder you can browse to can be added. If the folder is on a USB stick or an external drive, the entry stays on the menu but only works while that drive is plugged in.
Q: Will deleting something from the SendTo folder delete my files?
A: No. Everything in the SendTo folder is a shortcut. Deleting a shortcut takes that entry off the menu, but the folder or drive it pointed to, and everything in it, is left exactly as it was.
Q: Can I send a file to any folder without adding it to the menu first?
A: Not with Send To, which only lists the destinations in the SendTo folder. For a one-off, use copy and paste. If you keep sending files to the same folder, that’s the time to add it to the menu.
Summary
The Send To option on the right-click menu is a great time saver. It’s worth taking a few minutes to set it up with the folders and drives that you actually use, and to clear out the ones you don’t.
Just bear in mind that when you send something to a folder or a drive, you’re making a copy of it. So you’ll have duplicate files, unless you hold Shift to move it instead.
And if you’re on Windows 11 and can’t see Send to, remember where it’s hiding. Click Show more options, or switch Send to on in the new right-click menu settings.
If you like the idea of making the right-click menu do more for you, have a look at Microsoft PowerToys. It’s free, and it adds some very useful extras to that same menu.
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You can find this and other related step by step guides in – At Home Computer Guides
Written by Jeff Porter. I’ve been fixing Windows PCs since 2010 and I’m CompTIA Network+ certified. More about me