This tutorial will show you how to add a Find Empty Folders context menu for all users in Windows 10 and Windows 11.
You can right click on folder, folder background, drive, or drive background and click/tap on Find Empty Folders to list the full path of all empty folders found within the selected folder or drive.
The Find Empty Folders context menu makes it easier to find empty folders to delete if wanted. This context menu does not delete the empty folders. It only finds them for you.
While you must be signed in as an administrator to add or remove the context menu, all users can use the context menu.
EXAMPLE: "Find Empty Folders" context menu and command output
In Windows 11, you will need to click/tap on Show more options first by default, then click/tap on Find Empty Folders.
Here's How:
1 Do step 2 (add) or step 3 (remove) below for what you would like to do.
2 Add "Find Empty Folders" Context Menu
A) Click/tap on the Download button below to download the file below, and go to step 4 below.
Add_Find-Empty-Folders_to_context_menu.reg
Download
(Contents of REG file for reference)
Code:
Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00
[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Directory\shell\FindEmptyFolders]
@="Find Empty Folders"
"Icon"="imageres.dll,-1025"
[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Directory\shell\FindEmptyFolders\command]
@="powershell.exe -NoExit -Command \"Get-ChildItem -Path '%V' -Directory -Recurse | Where-Object { $_.GetFileSystemInfos().Count -eq 0 } | ForEach-Object { $_.FullName }\""
[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Directory\Background\shell\FindEmptyFolders]
@="Find Empty Folders"
"Icon"="imageres.dll,-1025"
[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Directory\Background\shell\FindEmptyFolders\command]
@="powershell.exe -NoExit -Command \"Get-ChildItem -Path '%V' -Directory -Recurse | Where-Object { $_.GetFileSystemInfos().Count -eq 0 } | ForEach-Object { $_.FullName }\""
[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Drive\shell\FindEmptyFolders]
@="Find Empty Folders"
"Icon"="imageres.dll,-1025"
[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Drive\shell\FindEmptyFolders\command]
@="powershell.exe -NoExit -Command \"Get-ChildItem -Path '%V' -Directory -Recurse | Where-Object { $_.GetFileSystemInfos().Count -eq 0 } | ForEach-Object { $_.FullName }\""3 Remove "Find Empty Folders" Context Menu
This is the default setting.
A) Click/tap on the Download button below to download the file below, and go to step 4 below.
Remove_Find-Empty-Folders_from_context_menu.reg
Download
(Contents of REG file for reference)
Code:
Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00
[-HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Directory\shell\FindEmptyFolders]
[-HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Directory\Background\shell\FindEmptyFolders]
[-HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Drive\shell\FindEmptyFolders]4 Save the .reg file to your desktop.
5 Double click/tap on the downloaded .reg file to merge it.
6 When prompted, click/tap on Run, Yes (UAC), Yes, and OK to approve the merge.
7 You can now delete the downloaded .reg file if you like.
That's it,
Shawn Brink
Last edited:
