Solved Enable long file path names in Windows 11

zelarra821 · Sep 19, 2024

Hello.

I need your help, because I don't know if I don't understand how to activate long routes, or if I haven't done it correctly.

I followed the Windows help: Maximum Path Length Limitation - Win32 apps

But I don't know how to do this thing that says:

Searching for information on why it doesn't work, I found this:

I can't access gpedit.msc:

"Windows cannot find the file "gpedit.msc". Make sure the name is spelled correctly and try again."

So if I try to edit a file name beyond what Windows normally allows, it won't let me. Here's a screenshot of how far it lets me:

So I don't know what I'm doing wrong, or if I don't understand how it works, or what.

That's why I wanted to ask someone to help me fix this.

I've tried to add as much information as possible, as well as all the screenshots I think might be useful.

Thank you very much.

hsehestedt · Sep 19, 2024

First, all that you need to do is to modify the registry.

As for the Group Policy Editor (gpedit), this is simply another way to do the same thing. In fact, when you set the group policy, it will simply make that registry change for you. However, I suspect that you are probably running the Home edition of Windows. Note that the Home edition does not include gpedit, as a result, you only have the option to make the change by modifying the registry.

You can also ignore the information about the manifest. This is how the author of an application declares that their application is capable of supporting long paths. This does not apply to you as the end user.

I hope that this helps!

zelarra821 · Sep 19, 2024

I've already modified the registry. You can see it here:

But I can't get it to work, or maybe I don't understand how it works.

That's why I was asking for help.

hsehestedt · Sep 19, 2024

Follow-up:

In the article that you linked to, did you notice this?

The easiest way to implement this would be to create a file containing the lines above and then simply double-click it merge that setting into your registry. Here is how to do that:

In the original article, click the "Copy" button that you see in the screenshot above.

Open notepad and perform a PASTE. That will paste the contents in the screenshot into notepad.

Save the text file someplace easy for you to get to like your desktop.

Rename the file you just saved to anything you want but make sure that the extension is .reg.

Double-click that .reg file.

That is all.

hsehestedt · Sep 19, 2024

zelarra821 said:
But I can't get it to work, or maybe I don't understand how it works.

Got it. I would have to test what things it works with this since I have never tried it. Bear in mind that not all programs will work! I'm sure that I can whip up a quick test in the morning that you can use to test this. It is 4:45 AM where I am now, so I'm going to get some sleep now, but I will look into this in the morning if no one else has already responded before then.

zelarra821 · Sep 19, 2024

hsehestedt said:
Follow-up:

In the article that you linked to, did you notice this?

Yes, I have seen it.

And I have done exactly what it says there:

1. First in the registry.

2. Then, following the steps you have indicated to me to create the reg file.

In both cases, I have restarted the computer afterwards.

But I get this:

Captura de pantalla 2024-09-19 150429.jpg

And I cannot continue writing beyond what you can see on the screenshot.

Of course, here the thing is that either I am misunderstanding the concept of long paths, or there is something wrong with me when configuring it.

Torus · Sep 19, 2024

LesFerch said:
Setting LongPathsEnabled=1 is NOT going to make any difference to Explorer. Not one little bit. Explorer supports navigating long paths, (regardless of that setting), but it does not support changing, or adding to, long paths, no matter what you do with the settings.

The LongPathsEnabled=1 setting will make a difference at the command line. Without that setting, you have to prefix long paths with \\?\. With that setting, the prefix is not required.

There may be some applications out there that change their long path support based on that setting, but I have yet to find one. I have tested many file managers and I have found that they either support long paths or they don't, regardless of that setting.

helios2000m · Sep 19, 2024

For your problem with gpedit.msc, I would suggest to go to Control Panel -> Display: Small Icons (upper right corner of the window) -> Windows Tools and then go to something that roughly says "Local Policy".

Navigate to "Local Computer Policy > Computer Configuration > Administrative Templates > System > Filesystem"

Then open "Enable NTFS long paths", and then set that to Enabled. Should do the trick.

zelarra821 · Sep 19, 2024

I only have this:

Use Google Translate, please.

Thanks.

helios2000m · Sep 19, 2024

zelarra821 said:
I only have this:

View attachment 109181 View attachment 109182

Use Google Translate, please.

Thanks.

You must have Windows 11 Home then it seems.

I don't have much experience in enabling the Group Policy Editor on Home-PCs, but from what I've seen, there's this third party app that's available:

GitHub - Fleex255/PolicyPlus: Local Group Policy Editor plus more, for all Windows editions

Local Group Policy Editor plus more, for all Windows editions - Fleex255/PolicyPlus

github.com

Or have a look at this video provided by @FreeBooter from some time ago with a manual installation of the Group Policy Editor (gpedit.msc) with a batch file:

Not sure if it works on Windows 11, but I shall guess that it does. Hope this helps.

pseymour · Sep 19, 2024

OP has long path support enabled correctly, as shown in post #1. The answer is in the LesFerch quote in post #7. Windows Explorer does not support long file paths, inexplicably but nonetheless true.

jimbo45 · Sep 19, 2024

pseymour said:
OP has long path support enabled correctly, as shown in post #1. The answer is in the LesFerch quote in post #7. Windows Explorer does not support long file paths, inexplicably but nonetheless true.

The problem is that File explorer still uses the OLD API. Modern programs like filezilla can get long file names / paths etc from say a Linux or other NAS (non Windows) type server but then file explorer will only show those in a stupid old DOS 87.3 format.

The API does support long file names etc but a load of older Windows programs just don't use the newer API.

Cheers
jimbo

zelarra821 · Sep 19, 2024

Wait a minute, wait a minute.

Let me see if I've got it right.

So, as much as I want to put really long titles in the file explorer, this is not possible because it uses some outdated story, is that so?

So there's no more to say. I have it enabled now, but I have to put up with it because the file explorer doesn't support it yet (hopefully one day before it kicks the bucket it will).

johnlgalt · Sep 19, 2024

Well, sure, Explorer doesn't support changing the name - but have you tried changing the filename in either CMD or PowerShell? This will (probably) break how the filename displays in Explorer, but for all intents and purposes, the actual file name will be exactly as you want it.

Another option would be to take a look at third party file managers - I've used Xplorer² As my default file manager for almost 2 decades in place of Windows Explorer for a very long list of features above and beyond the capabilities of Windows Explorer, and more recently, for the last few years, I've relegated Xplorer² to second place and started using One Commander as my primary file manager (which means Windows Explorer is almost never opened at all). Both of them offer premium versions but also offer completely free versions as well:

xplorer² lite: free windows explorer replacement (file manager)

If you want the file names to show in a file manager, you will almost certainly have to resort to a 3rd party file manager because Windows Explorer is not going to cut it (not any time soon anyway).

If you just need a way to name the files as you want, though, programmatically / using the CLI tools should suffice.

zelarra821 · Sep 19, 2024

I don't mind the file name. I don't want to struggle with copying o moving problems when I have got a long path. If I need change file name, I take it to desktop and I do there.

FreeBooter · Sep 19, 2024

helios2000m said:
You must have Windows 11 Home then it seems.

I don't have much experience in enabling the Group Policy Editor on Home-PCs, but from what I've seen, there's this third party app that's available:

GitHub - Fleex255/PolicyPlus: Local Group Policy Editor plus more, for all Windows editions

Local Group Policy Editor plus more, for all Windows editions - Fleex255/PolicyPlus

github.com

Or have a look at this video provided by @FreeBooter from some time ago with a manual installation of the Group Policy Editor (gpedit.msc) with a batch file:

Not sure if it works on Windows 11, but I shall guess that it does. Hope this helps.

Yes, the batch script works for Windows 11 Home edition as well.

If OP does not want to use the batch script, there is a Policy Plus app OP can use.

In this video guide, you’ll learn the steps to get started with Policy Plus to change advanced settings on Windows Home Edition.

hsehestedt · Sep 19, 2024

FreeBooter said:
Yes, the batch script works for Windows 11 Home edition as well.

If OP does not want to use the batch script, there is a Policy Plus app OP can use.

In this video guide, you’ll learn the steps to get started with Policy Plus to change advanced settings on Windows Home Edition.

That won't help. All that the group policy does is set the registry entry for you and that has already been done. So, this is a futile effort.

zelarra821 · Sep 20, 2024

Thanks to all. I alreday know about the issue and the things I can do or try.

LesFerch · Sep 20, 2024

johnlgalt said:
Another option would be to take a look at third party file managers - I've used Xplorer² As my default file manager for almost 2 decades in place of Windows Explorer for a very long list of features above and beyond the capabilities of Windows Explorer, and more recently, for the last few years, I've relegated Xplorer² to second place and started using One Commander as my primary file manager (which means Windows Explorer is almost never opened at all).

A year ago, when I tested a bunch of third party file managers for long path support, I found that One Commander supports long paths, but Xplorer2 does not (not that you said it did - just clarifying).

zelarra821 · Sep 21, 2024

Thanks.

Solved Enable long file path names in Windows 11

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