Windows 11’s File Explorer can open more than ZIP files: Microsoft has documented support for reading formats such as RAR, 7z and several TAR variants, plus creating 7-Zip and TAR archives. The changes arrived across different Windows builds, however—not as one new feature in a single “latest” update. Microsoft’s September 22, 2026 preview-update notes do not list a new archive-format feature.
What Windows 11’s built-in archive support does
Archive support lets File Explorer work with compressed files without requiring a separate program for the documented workflows. Microsoft first announced expanded reading support in Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22631.2199, released to the Beta Channel on August 18, 2023. That build used the open-source libarchive project to add support for additional formats.
Microsoft named these formats: .tar, .tar.gz, .tar.bz2, .tar.zst, .tar.xz, .tgz, .tbz2, .tzst, .txz, .rar and .7z, along with additional formats. The announcement does not provide a complete compatibility matrix for every Windows 11 version or installation. Microsoft’s Build 22631.2199 announcement
Can Windows 11 open RAR and 7z files?
Microsoft documented reading support for both .rar and .7z in that Beta Channel build. This establishes that Windows 11’s native archive handling can support those formats; it does not establish that every Windows 11 device has the feature or that every archive using those extensions will open. The announcement specifically says encrypted archives were not supported in Build 22631.2199. That limitation is tied to the 2023 build and should not be treated as a verified statement about every later version.
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How archive creation and extraction evolved
Reading an archive, creating one, and finding an extraction command are distinct capabilities, documented by Microsoft at different times.
Create 7-Zip or TAR archives
In Release Preview Builds 22621.3807 and 22631.3807, announced June 13, 2024, Microsoft described creating 7-Zip and TAR archives from File Explorer. The update also described a Compress to menu with compression choices including gzip and bzip2, and a compression wizard with further format options and controls such as compression level and the data types stored. These notes describe Release Preview builds, not a guarantee that the same controls appear on every Windows 11 installation. Microsoft’s June 2024 Release Preview announcement
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Extract files from non-ZIP archives
On February 17, 2026, Microsoft announced an Extract all option in File Explorer’s command bar while browsing non-ZIP archive folders. It was described for Release Preview Builds 26100.7918 and 26200.7918, covering Windows 11 versions 24H2 and 25H2. Microsoft warned that gradual rollout could make the option available at different times on different devices. Microsoft’s February 2026 Release Preview announcement
What “latest Windows 11 build” means here
Windows 11 has multiple versions, Insider channels and staged feature rollouts, so “latest build” is not a precise description by itself. A build number, Windows version and release channel are needed to identify which features a particular announcement covers.
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Microsoft’s September 22, 2026 preview update KB5124010 applies to Windows 11 versions 26H2, 25H2 and 24H2, with listed OS builds 26300.9550, 26200.9550 and 26100.9550. Its File Explorer highlights concern previews, Home-section state, cloud-file thumbnails and the address bar; they do not announce new archive formats. The cited update is a preview, and its notes do not establish that it is the newest build across every channel. Microsoft’s KB5124010 update notes
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.How to use File Explorer with an archive
- Find the archive. Open File Explorer and navigate to the folder containing the archive, such as a
.7zor.rarfile. - Open or extract it. Use the archive’s available File Explorer commands. For the non-ZIP archive-folder workflow documented in the February 2026 Release Preview, select Extract all from the command bar. The exact commands available depend on the Windows build and rollout status.
- Choose a destination if prompted. Follow File Explorer’s extraction dialog to select where the contents should go.
- Create an archive when needed. In builds with the documented creation features, use the Compress to menu or compression wizard for supported formats and settings.
If an archive is encrypted or File Explorer does not offer the format or controls you need, a separate archive utility may be necessary. Microsoft’s explicit encrypted-archive limitation applies to Build 22631.2199; the cited later notes do not provide a comprehensive encrypted-archive compatibility statement.
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