---
title: "MenuShowDelay: the default value and the fastest setting that still works"
description: "MenuShowDelay is how long Windows waits before it opens a submenu when you hover over it, 400 ms by default. What it changes, when it hurts, and how to undo it."
url: https://frozentweaks.com/tweaks/menushowdelay
author: Frost LIVE, Founder of Frozen Tweaks
published: 2026-10-08
updated: 2026-10-08
category: "Windows"
source: Frozen Tweaks (https://frozentweaks.com)
---

# MenuShowDelay: the default value and the fastest setting that still works

**Short answer:** MenuShowDelay is how long Windows waits before it opens a submenu when you hover over it, 400 ms by default. This tweak sets it to 20 ms. In the registry it sets MenuShowDelay to 20 under HKCU\Control Panel\Desktop.

## In the app

- Switch: Remove Menu Delay (Windows, Free, Standard)
- Undo: Yes. Switching it off puts back exactly what was there before, value for value.
- Catalog row: https://frozentweaks.com/tweaks#t-1144

## What it does

MenuShowDelay is how long Windows waits before it opens a submenu when you hover over it, 400 ms by default. This tweak sets it to 20 ms.

In the app the switch is called "Remove Menu Delay", described there as: Cuts the 400 ms wait before menus open to 20 ms (sign out to apply).

## When it helps

- Menus that open as soon as you point at them, which makes the desktop feel quicker.

## When it hurts

- With a very low value, submenus open when you merely pass over them. That is why the tweak uses 20 and not 0.
- It changes how the desktop feels, not how games run. Sign out once to apply.

## What it writes

Read from the app's source. "Switching it off" is what the app writes when you turn the tweak off again.

Registry values:

| Key | Value | With the tweak | Switching it off |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| `HKCU\Control Panel\Desktop` | `MenuShowDelay` | `20` | Your previous value (saved before the change, or deleted if there was none). Windows default: 400 |

Source: Tweaks/pack_extra.hpp in the app's source, app 2.0.0, checked 2026-10-08.

## The same change by hand

Run in a Command Prompt opened as administrator. Make a restore point first.

```bat
reg add "HKCU\Control Panel\Desktop" /v "MenuShowDelay" /t REG_SZ /d "20" /f
```

Put it back:

```bat
reg add "HKCU\Control Panel\Desktop" /v "MenuShowDelay" /t REG_SZ /d "400" /f
```

See what it is set to now:

```bat
reg query "HKCU\Control Panel\Desktop" /v "MenuShowDelay"
```

## How to undo it

Switch the tweak off in Frozen Tweaks. The app saved what each value was before the change and writes exactly that back, or removes the value if it did not exist.

## Verdict

A harmless feel-good setting.

## Questions

### What does the "Remove Menu Delay" tweak change in Windows?

In the registry it sets MenuShowDelay to 20 under HKCU\Control Panel\Desktop.

### What is the default value of MenuShowDelay?

The Windows default of MenuShowDelay is 400. Frozen Tweaks sets it to 20, and switching the tweak off puts back the value you had before.

### Is "Remove Menu Delay" safe to switch on?

A harmless feel-good setting. The main cost: With a very low value, submenus open when you merely pass over them. That is why the tweak uses 20 and not 0.

### How do I undo it?

Switch the tweak off in Frozen Tweaks. Switching it off puts back exactly what was there before, value for value.

### Does it need a restart?

Yes, the change applies after signing out once.

### Is "Remove Menu Delay" free in Frozen Tweaks?

Yes. It is one of the free tweaks, with no time limit.

## Related guides

- [Windows 11 Gaming Optimization: What Still Works in 2026](https://frozentweaks.com/guides/windows-11-gaming-optimization)
- [How to Increase FPS on PC: The Complete 2026 Guide](https://frozentweaks.com/guides/how-to-increase-fps-on-pc)

## More tweak explainers

- [Classic right click menu](https://frozentweaks.com/tweaks/classic-context-menu-windows-11)
- [Aero Shake](https://frozentweaks.com/tweaks/disable-aero-shake)
- [End task in the taskbar](https://frozentweaks.com/tweaks/end-task-in-taskbar)

---
Written by Frost LIVE, founder of Frozen Tweaks. Canonical version: https://frozentweaks.com/tweaks/menushowdelay