Windows 11 adds support for 11 file archives, including 7-Zip and RAR

Microsoft says Windows 11 22H2 now natively supports almost a twelve further archive formats, including RAR, 7-Zip, Tar, and GZ archives.

The institution has added support for 11 caller record archive formats pinch this month's optional KB5031455 Preview cumulative update.

The updated database of supported archive types successful Windows 11 now adds .rar, .7z, .tar, .tar.gz, .tar.bz2, .tar.zst, .tar.xz, .tgz, .tbz2, .tzst, and .txz, though support for password encrypted files is not yet available.

When asked for much specifications astir nan missing password-protected archive support, a Microsoft spokesperson said nan institution has thing other to stock astatine this time.

Redmond says it added nan caller record archive formats pinch nan thief of the open-source libarchive project, which intends we will apt spot different formats for illustration LZH, LZH, and XAR.

Since KB5031455 is an optional update, Windows users must instal it manually by opening nan Settings app, navigating to Windows Update, and clicking 'Check for Updates.' Users will past beryllium prompted to instal nan update by clicking nan 'Download and install' link.

This caller capacity will besides rotation retired to each Windows 11 users done cumulative updates scheduled for merchandise during November's Patch Tuesday.

Windows 11 KB5031455 preview update (BleepingComputer)

​Redmond first announced that Windows 11 will get support for further archive formats during nan Build 2023 convention successful a May blog station introducing nan caller Dev Home Windows power center.

"We person added autochthonal support for further archive formats, including tar, 7-Zip, RAR, gz and galore others utilizing nan libarchive open-source project," Microsoft's erstwhile Chief Product Officer, Panos Panay said. "You now tin get improved capacity of archive functionality during compression connected Windows."

Archive formats for illustration ZIP, 7-Zip, and RAR are extensively utilized connected Windows systems, pinch ZIP being nan astir wide choice.

However, while Windows has integrated ZIP archive support since 1998, third-party applications for illustration 7-Zip and WinRAR were required for handling 7-Zip (.7z), RAR (.rar), aliases gz (.gz) files.

The .gz archive format is much commonly associated pinch Linux done nan GNU Zip (gzip) utility. Still, it is expected to go overmuch much adjuvant to Windows users pinch nan expanding fame of nan Windows Subsystem for Linux feature.

Today's optional update besides enabled all Moment 4 features, bringing 72 caller features to Windows 11, including an overhauled File Explorer, a caller Backup app, a built-in Passkey Manager, and nan AI-powered Copilot for Windows.