Microsoft steps up its Windows 11 file management game - get ready to say goodbye to WinRAR and &-Zip
Date:
Mon, 30 Oct 2023 17:18:59 +0000
Description:
Microsoft's Windows 11 update brings built-in support for popular archive formats, streamlining file management, and eliminating the need for third-party apps.
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If youve ever downloaded a 7-Zip file or RAR file (archive file formats that allow users to compress files to more portable, smaller sizes), you will probably find that you need an extra program or app or do something with them in Windows 11, but thats about to change. Microsoft has announced native (as in, built-in) support for 7-Zip file and RAR file formats in Windows 11 22H2
.
According to BleepingComputer , Microsoft has stated that Windows 11 22H2
can now support almost a dozen archive file formats that it couldnt before without a third-party app or program such as RAR, 7-Zip, Tar, and GZ
archives.
This update came as part of Octobers optional KB5031455 Preview cumulative update. This means to have this new archive file capability, youll need to go to Settings , then to Windows Update , and select Check for Updates . Once your device finds the new optional update, click the Download and install button.
That means Windows 11 will soon support all of the following archive file types: .rar, .7z, .tar, .tar.gz, .tar.bz2, .tar.zst, .tar.xz, .tgz, .tbz2, .tzst, and .txz. Password-encrypted files arent covered in this update, but that will come soon. BleepingComputer asked Microsoft about the lack of password-protected archive support, but Microsoft had nothing to share at
this time.
This development was first announced during the Build 2023 conference back in a May blog post that detailed Microsofts new Dev Home Windows control center
.
Reportedly, Microsoft enlisted the open-source libarchive project , a library of file archive and file compression formats. Apparently, this open-source project also allows users to enable support for the LZH and XAR file formats, so we could see in-house Windows 11 support for these as well. If youre familiar with the .gz archive file format, youre probably a Linux user familiar with the GNU Zip (gzip) utility. This new Windows support for this file format will be helpful to those using the Windows Subsystem for Linux. (Image credit: Shutterstock / 300 librarians) How you can power up your Windows 11's file capabilities
Again, if youd like this new capability for Windows 11 right now, youll need to manually install it. Otherwise you can wait until Novembers Patch Tuesday, when there is a scheduled Windows 11 cumulative update. Either way, you will get all the new Moment 4 update features which includes a whopping seventy
two new features for Windows 11 like a revamped File Explorer, a renewed Backup app, a new Passkey Manager, and the shiny jewel of the update, Windows Copilot .
This is a welcome update, especially since the ZIP, 7-Zip, and RAR archive formats are widely used by users of Windows systems past and present. Since 1998, Windows has had native system support for ZIP archive files, and its good to see 7-Zip (.7z), RAR (.rar), and gz (.gz) files, get support in Windows 11, which should make using those files much easier - and means you wont need to install any extra applications. YOU MIGHT ALSO LIKE How to install and use Threads in Windows 11 Windows 11s final major update before Windows 12 could drop soon and heres what it will look like Windows 11 problems: how to fix the most common issues
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Link to news story:
https://www.techradar.com/computing/software/microsoft-steps-up-its-windows-11 -file-management-game-get-ready-to-say-goodbye-to-winrar-and-and-zip
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