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Windows 11 File Explorer: Effortlessly Create 7z & TAR Archives

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Windows 11 has significantly enhanced its native capabilities by integrating the functionality to create 7z and TAR archives directly within File Explorer. This update marks a notable improvement, eliminating the reliance on third-party applications for these common archiving tasks. Previously, while Windows 11 users could natively open and extract 7z and TAR files, the creation of these archive types necessitated the use of external software. Now, with this built-in feature, the process becomes streamlined and more convenient, directly accessible from the operating system itself. This enhancement is being rolled out progressively to Windows 11 stable versions, ensuring wider accessibility over time.

Streamlining Archive Creation in File Explorer

Creating 7z or TAR archives in Windows 11 File Explorer is designed to be an intuitive and straightforward process. By leveraging the context menu, users can quickly compress files and folders into their desired archive format without navigating complex menus or installing additional programs. The integration into File Explorer provides a seamless user experience, making archive creation a natural extension of file management tasks within the operating system. This feature enhances efficiency and simplifies workflows for users who frequently work with compressed files.

To create 7z or TAR files from the context menu within File Explorer, follow these basic steps:

  1. Open File Explorer.
  2. Navigate to the folder containing the files you wish to archive.
  3. Select the desired files and folders.
  4. Right-click on the selected items and choose the Compress to option, then select either 7z file or TAR file.

Let’s delve into a more detailed exploration of each archive creation process.

Creating a 7z Archive Natively

The process of creating a 7z archive natively in Windows 11 is remarkably simple for basic compression. For users who require more control over the compression settings, advanced options are also readily available.

Quick 7z Archive Creation with Default Settings

For a swift and effortless creation of a 7z archive, Windows 11 provides a default option that utilizes pre-configured compression settings. This method is ideal for users who prioritize speed and convenience over fine-tuning compression parameters.

  1. Open File Explorer and navigate to the location of your target files and folders.
  2. Select all the files and folders you intend to compress into a 7z archive.
  3. Right-click on your selection.
  4. In the context menu, hover over Compress to.
  5. Click on 7z file.

Create 7z files from File Explorer in Windows 11

Upon selecting “7z file,” Windows 11 will immediately commence creating a 7z archive using default compression settings. The newly created archive will be placed in the same directory as the original files. You will then be prompted to rename the archive file to your desired name. This streamlined approach makes 7z archive creation accessible to all users, regardless of their technical expertise.

Advanced 7z Archive Creation with Custom Settings

For users who require greater precision and control over the archive creation process, Windows 11 offers advanced options. These options allow you to customize parameters such as compression method, compression level, and other settings to optimize the archive according to your specific needs.

  1. Select the files and folders you want to compress.
  2. Right-click on the selected items.
  3. In the context menu, hover over Compress to.
  4. Click on Additional options.

This action will open the “Create Archive” wizard, providing a range of customizable settings for your 7z archive.

Customizing 7z Archive Options

In the “Create Archive” wizard, you will find several options to tailor your 7z archive:

  • Archive format: Ensure that 7z is selected from the dropdown menu. This confirms that you are creating a 7z archive.
  • Location: Click the Browse button to choose the destination folder for the archive. By default, the archive will be saved in the same location as the original files. Selecting a different location allows for better organization of your files.

  • Compression method: This dropdown menu offers a selection of compression algorithms. Each method varies in terms of compression ratio and speed. The available options are:

    • Store: This method does not apply any compression. It simply packages the files into an archive, which is the fastest option but results in the largest file size.
    • Deflate: A widely used compression algorithm known for its good balance of compression ratio and speed.
    • BZip2: Generally provides better compression than Deflate but is slower. It is suitable when file size reduction is prioritized over compression speed.
    • LZMA1 (Default): The default compression method, offering a high compression ratio and good speed. It is a good general-purpose option.
    • LZMA2: An improved version of LZMA1, often providing slightly better compression ratios and potentially faster decompression speeds.
    • PPMd: A more complex algorithm that can achieve very high compression ratios, especially on text-based data, but it is generally slower and more memory-intensive than other methods.

  • Compression level: This setting controls the degree of compression applied. The scale ranges from 0 (Faster) to 9 (Smaller).

    • Lower compression levels (closer to 0): Result in faster compression speeds but larger archive file sizes. This is suitable when time is a constraint and file size is less critical.
    • Higher compression levels (closer to 9): Lead to smaller archive file sizes but take longer to compress. This is ideal when storage space is limited and you are willing to wait longer for compression to complete.
Compression Level Speed File Size Use Case
0 (Faster) Fastest Largest Speed priority, file size less important
1-5 (Normal) Moderate Moderate Balanced speed and compression
6-9 (Smaller) Slowest Smallest File size priority, time less important
  • Retain symbolic links: When checked, this option ensures that symbolic links within the archive are preserved. Symbolic links are pointers to other files or directories, and retaining them is crucial for maintaining the integrity of complex file structures.
  • Retain hard links: This option, when selected, preserves hard links within the archive. Hard links are multiple directory entries that point to the same data on the disk. Retaining them ensures that after extraction, these links continue to point to the same data blocks, maintaining data integrity and potentially saving disk space if the extracted files are modified.

After configuring your desired settings, click the Create button to initiate the 7z archive creation process. Windows 11 will then create the 7z file based on your specified parameters.

Creating a TAR Archive Natively

Creating a TAR (Tape Archive) file in Windows 11 natively follows a similar process to creating 7z archives. The steps are largely consistent, offering both a quick default option and advanced settings for customization.

Quick TAR Archive Creation with Default Settings

For rapid creation of a TAR archive using default settings, the process mirrors the quick 7z archive creation:

  1. Open File Explorer and navigate to the files and folders you wish to archive.
  2. Select the desired files and folders.
  3. Right-click on the selection.
  4. Hover over Compress to in the context menu.
  5. Select TAR file.

Create TAR files from File Explorer in Windows 11

Windows 11 will immediately create a TAR archive with default settings in the same directory as the source files. You will then be able to rename the generated TAR file. This method provides a convenient way to create TAR archives without requiring any advanced configuration.

Advanced TAR Archive Creation with Custom Settings

For users who require more control over their TAR archives, Windows 11 provides advanced options similar to those available for 7z archives. These options allow for customization of the archive format, compression method, and other settings.

  1. Select the files and folders for archiving.
  2. Right-click on the selection.
  3. Choose Compress to from the context menu, and then click Additional options.

This will open the “Create Archive” wizard, where you can configure advanced settings for your TAR archive.

Customizing TAR Archive Options

Within the “Create Archive” wizard for TAR files, you can customize the following options:

  • Location: Click Browse to change the destination folder for the TAR archive. The default location is the current folder where the original files are located.

  • Archive format: Under the “Archive format” dropdown, select a TAR archive option. While GNU TAR is the most widely used and generally recommended, Windows 11 offers several TAR variants:

    • GNU: The most common and widely compatible TAR format, suitable for general use across different operating systems.
    • POSIX pax interchange: A standardized TAR format defined by POSIX standards, offering enhanced features and interoperability, particularly in Unix-like environments.
    • Restricted POSIX pax interchange: A more restrictive version of POSIX pax, limiting certain features for specific compatibility requirements.
    • POSIX ustar: Another POSIX standard TAR format, older than pax but still widely supported, offering good interoperability.

    Choosing the appropriate TAR format depends on the intended use and compatibility requirements of the archive. For general purposes, GNU TAR is usually the best choice.

  • Compression method: Select a compression method from the dropdown. The options are the same as for 7z archives: Store, Deflate, BZip2, LZMA1, LZMA2, and PPMd. However, it is important to note that TAR itself is not a compression format. TAR is primarily an archiving format used to bundle multiple files together. Compression is typically applied after creating the TAR archive using separate compression utilities like gzip (creating .tar.gz or .tgz files) or bzip2 (creating .tar.bz2 files).

    Windows 11’s native TAR creation feature likely applies compression as a secondary step after creating the TAR archive, based on the chosen compression method. This simplifies the process of creating compressed TAR archives.

  • Compression level: Similar to 7z archives, you can select a compression level from 0 (Faster) to 9 (Smaller), influencing the compression speed and resulting file size.

  • Retain symbolic links: Keep this option selected to preserve symbolic links within the TAR archive, maintaining file structure integrity.

After setting your preferences, click the Create button to generate the TAR archive according to your specifications.

Important Notes on Native Archive Support

It is crucial to understand a few key points regarding Windows 11’s native archive support:

  1. Opening and Extracting Archives: Windows 11’s native support extends to opening and extracting a wide range of archive formats, including the newly supported 7z and TAR files. You can directly use File Explorer to browse the contents of these archives and extract files as needed.

  2. Feature Availability via Updates: If you do not see the “Compress to” options for 7z and TAR files in your File Explorer context menu, it is likely that you have not yet received the update containing this feature. To check for updates:

    • Go to Settings > Update & Security > Windows Update.
    • Click Check for updates.
    • Install any available updates.

    If the feature is still not available after updating, it means the rollout has not yet reached your device. Microsoft releases features in phases, so continue to monitor Windows Updates for future availability.

Extracting .7z Files in Windows 11

Windows 11 provides a built-in method for extracting .7z files, leveraging its native support for this archive format. This eliminates the need for external software for basic extraction tasks.

To extract .7z files using Windows 11’s native functionality:

  1. Locate the .7z archive file in File Explorer.
  2. Right-click on the .7z file.
  3. Select Extract All… from the context menu.

Extract 7z files in Windows 11

The “Extract Compressed (Zipped) Folders” wizard will appear, despite the file being a .7z archive.

  1. In the wizard, click the Browse… button to choose a destination folder for the extracted files. If you do not choose a different location, the files will be extracted to a folder in the same directory as the .7z archive.
  2. Click the Extract button to begin the extraction process.

Alternatively, for more advanced extraction options or if you prefer a dedicated archive manager, you can use third-party software like 7-Zip. 7-Zip is a free and open-source file archiver with comprehensive support for various archive formats, including 7z, and offers more granular control over extraction settings.

Creating .rar Files in Windows 11

While Windows 11 natively supports 7z and TAR archive creation, it does not include built-in support for creating .rar files. RAR is a proprietary archive format developed by WinRAR GmbH, and creating RAR archives typically requires using their software, WinRAR.

To create a RAR file in Windows 11:

  1. Download and install WinRAR from the official website or a reputable source. WinRAR is a paid software, but it offers a trial version that is fully functional for a limited time.
  2. Select the files and folders you wish to compress into a RAR archive.
  3. Right-click on your selection.
  4. In the context menu, choose Add to archive….

Create RAR files in Windows 11

The “Archive name and parameters” dialog box from WinRAR will appear.

  1. In the “Archive format” section, ensure that RAR is selected.
  2. Configure any other desired settings, such as compression level, archive name, and destination.
  3. Click OK to start creating the RAR archive.

WinRAR will then create the RAR file in the specified location according to your chosen settings. While WinRAR is not natively integrated into Windows 11 like the 7z and TAR creation features, it remains the primary tool for creating RAR archives due to the proprietary nature of the format.

Conclusion

The introduction of native 7z and TAR archive creation in Windows 11 File Explorer represents a significant enhancement to the operating system’s file management capabilities. By streamlining the process of creating these common archive formats directly within File Explorer, Windows 11 improves user convenience and efficiency. Users can now easily create 7z and TAR archives using both default and advanced options, catering to a wide range of needs and preferences. While RAR archive creation still requires third-party software like WinRAR, the native support for 7z and TAR formats significantly reduces the reliance on external applications for everyday archiving tasks. This feature not only simplifies workflows but also contributes to a more integrated and user-friendly experience within the Windows 11 environment.

Do you find this new feature helpful? Share your thoughts and experiences in the comments below!

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