In case you’ve ever downloaded a 7-Zip file or RAR file (archive file codecs that enable customers to compress recordsdata to extra transportable, smaller sizes), you’ll most likely discover that you simply want an additional program or app or do one thing with them in Windows 11, however that’s about to alter. Microsoft has introduced native (as in, built-in) assist for 7-Zip file and RAR file codecs in Windows 11 22H2.
According to BleepingComputer, Microsoft has acknowledged that Windows 11 22H2 can now assist virtually a dozen archive file codecs that it couldn’t earlier than with out a third-party app or program akin to RAR, 7-Zip, Tar, and GZ archives.
This replace got here as a part of October’s elective KB5031455 Preview cumulative replace. This implies to have this new archive file functionality, you’ll have to go to Settings, then to Home windows Replace, and choose ‘Examine for Updates’. As soon as your gadget finds the brand new elective replace, click on the ‘Obtain and set up’ button.
Which means Home windows 11 will quickly assist all the following archive file sorts: .rar, .7z, .tar, .tar.gz, .tar.bz2, .tar.zst, .tar.xz, .tgz, .tbz2, .tzst, and .txz. Password-encrypted recordsdata aren’t coated on this replace, however that can come quickly. BleepingComputer requested Microsoft in regards to the lack of password-protected archive assist, however Microsoft had nothing to share right now.
This improvement was first introduced throughout the Construct 2023 convention again in a May blog post that detailed Microsoft’s new Dev Home Windows control center.
Reportedly, Microsoft enlisted the open-source libarchive project, a library of file archive and file compression codecs. Apparently, this open-source venture additionally permits customers to allow assist for the LZH and XAR file codecs, so we might see in-house Home windows 11 assist for these as effectively. In case you’re conversant in the .gz archive file format, you’re most likely a Linux person conversant in the GNU Zip (gzip) utility. This new Home windows assist for this file format can be useful to these utilizing the Home windows Subsystem for Linux.
How one can energy up your Home windows 11’s file capabilities
Once more, when you’d like this new functionality for Home windows 11 proper now, you’ll have to manually set up it. In any other case you possibly can wait till November’s Patch Tuesday, when there’s a scheduled Home windows 11 cumulative replace. Both method, you’ll get all the brand new Second 4 replace options which features a whopping seventy two new options for Home windows 11 like a revamped File Explorer, a renewed Backup app, a brand new Passkey Supervisor, and the shiny jewel of the replace, Windows Copilot.
It is a welcome replace, particularly for the reason that ZIP, 7-Zip, and RAR archive codecs are extensively utilized by customers of Home windows programs previous and current. Since 1998, Home windows has had native system assist for ZIP archive recordsdata, and it’s good to see 7-Zip (.7z), RAR (.rar), and gz (.gz) recordsdata, get assist in Home windows 11, which ought to make utilizing these recordsdata a lot simpler – and means you gained’t want to put in any additional functions.
Discussion about this post