How to add a "open git-bash here..." context menu to the windows explorer?

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How to add a context (aka right click) menu to the windows explorer that, when clicked, opens the git-bash console in the current explorer folder?

Courbet answered 24/6, 2014 at 12:28 Comment(6)

If you install current version of Git for Windows, it already provides those shortcuts. – Kinematograph 11/1, 2019 at 17:25

@Kinematograph not if you're using portable, which you might have to use if you don't have admin rights. – Rhoads 27/6, 2019 at 9:50

If your contextual items disappeared after a Windows update you can just run the script here: github.com/Hattoff/GitBashHere – Gregggreggory 18/9, 2020 at 12:28

Currently not supported in Windows 11. – Jovita 5/3, 2022 at 8:16

There's a post created for Windows 11, can track that availability there: #70238209 – Pak 24/3, 2022 at 13:13

The easiest way is to install git once again from git-scm.com/download/win – Amalle 23/5, 2022 at 8:45

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I had a similar issue and I did this.

Step 1 : Type "regedit" in start menu

Step 2 : Run the registry editor

Step 3 : Navigate to HKEY_CURRENT_USER\SOFTWARE\Classes\Directory\Background\shell. If you don't have the shell key, create one.

Step 4 : Right-click on "shell" and choose New > Key. name the Key "Bash"

Step 5 : Modify the value and set it to "open in Bash" This is the text that appears in the right click.

Step 6 : Create a new key under Bash and name it "command". Set the value of this key to your git-bash.exe path.

Close the registry editor.

You should now be able to see the option in right click menu in explorer

PS Git Bash by default picks up the current directory.

EDIT : If you want a one click approach, check Ozesh's solution below

Cho answered 28/8, 2016 at 18:59 Comment(16)

I was getting an error Explorer error. To fix this I have to add an Expandable String Value in the commandKey with values "C:\Program Files\Git\git-bash.exe" "%V" – Welter 29/11, 2016 at 6:59

this also worked in windows10 while I only had the shellex key and no shell (which I created per your directions and all worked fine) – Wethington 21/3, 2017 at 11:16

is there a way to add the neat little icon in the context menu? – Harpole 13/4, 2017 at 1:52

@Harpole https://mcmap.net/q/110998/-set-icon-for-custom-right-click-context-menu-item-for-all-desktop-shortcuts-windows-explorer Found this. Hope it works for you – Cho 15/4, 2017 at 4:33

Windows 10 here: while this solution worked for me by adding a "shell" first, it doesn't give you a visual cue to see the shortcut easily. I like Ozesh's solution more because it gives you an icon as well. It's literally copy-paste and run. It will save you a lot more time. Both solutions work though. – Algonquin 11/9, 2017 at 23:2

Also the context menu disappeared, even after re-installing GIT – Jallier 9/11, 2017 at 14:32

I personally prefer this solution because I don't want to have multiple entries in the context menu by some chance, and also I want to make sure the paths of the installation are right. To find the path for installation, if a gitbash is running, go to Task Manager, right click on it, and use Open File Location (or Details). – Duplex 30/10, 2018 at 6:34

Just a quick addition to this...if you want to add the icon, in the Bash key add a new string value called Icon and set it's value to C:\Program Files\Git\mingw64\share\git\git-for-windows.ico – Esta 5/12, 2019 at 17:57

This procedure failed me, while the one below did the trick splendidly by creating OpenGitBash.reg file. – Haarlem 16/7, 2020 at 15:5

For some reason, If you wanna add git icon to it also, then do these steps -> 1. In the "bash" name reg you just created right click and create a new "Expandable String Value" --screen shot image link-- ibb.co/5rLKZGf 2. Name it as icon and then double click it. 3. Goto your Git installation directory and find the git icon file with .ico extension (For me, it was here Git\mingw64\share\git\git-for-windows.ico) 5. Paste icon file's path to "icon" value and done! – Morel 11/8, 2020 at 7:35

Totally works for me. I had shellex dir, then just create shell and the steps above. – Oberg 20/11, 2020 at 18:45

is possible to add a first git command, for example "git status"? – Overseer 23/2, 2021 at 22:18

what if i wish to see this option only when I hold shift? (like you can see "Open PowersShell window here" only when holding shift) – Airwaves 29/6, 2021 at 15:10

here is link to a reg file that will do it for you. just run it and get it. cdn.amuslim.org/shell-scripts/OpenGitBash.reg – Flibbertigibbet 29/8, 2022 at 10:34

just out of curiosity, how tf did you come up with this – Waterway 28/3 at 6:25

@JamieNguyen At the time of doing this, i think i searched for how to add commands to right click and then that let to how to point that command to execute an exe. – Cho 4/4 at 12:44

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Step 1. On your desktop right click "New"->"Text Document" with name OpenGitBash.reg

Step 2. Right click the file and choose "Edit"

Step 3. Copy-paste the code below, save and close the file

Step 4. Execute the file by double clicking it

Note: You need administrator permission to write to the registry.

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00
; Open files
; Default Git-Bash Location C:\Program Files\Git\git-bash.exe

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\*\shell\Open Git Bash]
@="Open Git Bash"
"Icon"="C:\\Program Files\\Git\\git-bash.exe"

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\*\shell\Open Git Bash\command]
@="\"C:\\Program Files\\Git\\git-bash.exe\" \"--cd=%1\""

; This will make it appear when you right click ON a folder
; The "Icon" line can be removed if you don't want the icon to appear

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Directory\shell\bash]
@="Open Git Bash"
"Icon"="C:\\Program Files\\Git\\git-bash.exe"


[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Directory\shell\bash\command]
@="\"C:\\Program Files\\Git\\git-bash.exe\" \"--cd=%1\""

; This will make it appear when you right click INSIDE a folder
; The "Icon" line can be removed if you don't want the icon to appear

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Directory\Background\shell\bash]
@="Open Git Bash"
"Icon"="C:\\Program Files\\Git\\git-bash.exe"

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Directory\Background\shell\bash\command]
@="\"C:\\Program Files\\Git\\git-bash.exe\" \"--cd=%v.\""

And here is your result :

Mudguard answered 17/5, 2017 at 8:48 Comment(15)

Awesome. Works on windows 7. Just be careful to make sure that the installation directory of git is the same as mentioned in the file. – Preponderant 17/7, 2017 at 7:5

This doesn't add the "Open Git Bash here" option though. – Crenelation 27/10, 2017 at 14:32

@Crenelation : If you want a 'Open Git Bash here' instead of 'Open Git Bash' , you can simply add a 'here' in the OpenGitBash.reg where ever you encounter 'Open Git Bash' . – Mudguard 28/10, 2017 at 4:8

FYI, if you want it only for a specific user account, the this is where the Git for Windows installer puts those git_bash and git_gui keys: HKEY_USERS\{the-account-SID}\Software\Classes\Directory\Background\shell , HKEY_USERS\{the-account-SID}\Software\Classes\Directory\shell , and HKEY_USERS\{the-account-SID}\Software\Classes\LibraryFolder\background\shell – Cleavers 4/1, 2018 at 19:18

Worked Right Away in Windows 10. Thanks! Awesome solution. – Spitz 28/3, 2018 at 13:44

Worked perfectly. Note that since I logged in as a standard user, I had to first open the regedit app as admin, and them import this .reg file there. – Unijugate 11/10, 2019 at 9:32

Nice. A set of reg specs that work for me as the current user is: Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00 [HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Classes\Directory\shell] [HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Classes\Directory\shell\git_gui] @="Git &GUI Here" "Icon"="C:\\Program Files\\Git\\cmd\\git-gui.exe" – Piapiacenza 16/11, 2019 at 21:41

and [HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Classes\Directory\shell\git_gui\command] @="\"C:\\Program Files\\Git\\cmd\\git-gui.exe\" \"--working-dir\" \"%1\"" [HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Classes\Directory\shell\git_shell] @="Git Ba&sh Here" "Icon"="C:\\Program Files\\Git\\git-bash.exe" [HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Classes\Directory\shell\git_shell\command] @="\"C:\\Program Files\\Git\\git-bash.exe\" \"--cd=%1\"" – Piapiacenza 16/11, 2019 at 21:43

can you add git gui as well using this? – Acrylonitrile 25/9, 2020 at 2:17

@vipin8169 yes infact you can do this for any installed application by just providing a proper path to the executable. – Mudguard 8/10, 2020 at 10:42

In case anyone wants to add a keyboard shortcut for this command (The underline thingy in the context menu) just add an & in front of the key you want. For eg.: Open Git &bash here would make this command accessible by the keyboard shortcut letter b whenever you open context menu. – Foregut 21/11, 2020 at 7:0

Creating the reg file this way kept on producing OpenGitBash.reg.txt on my machine. If this happens, go into file explorer and click view->File name extensions. You can then edit the txt portion of the filename out. – Foreshorten 30/3, 2021 at 21:1

Awesome explanation and trick but unfortunately doesn't work in Windows 11. – Jovita 5/3, 2022 at 8:13

Worked in windows 11 too. – Flibbertigibbet 29/8, 2022 at 10:30

if you want to get this in a file. here it is cdn.amuslim.org/shell-scripts/OpenGitBash.reg – Flibbertigibbet 29/8, 2022 at 10:34