How to prevent internal zip functionally

I use RAR for both .zip and .rar. I dislike the way windows explorer (and 3 party replacements) handle a double left click on .zip (.rar is ok) ie. use in-built function to decompress the file. In previous versions of windows it has been possible through a reg hack to disable this function. I've googled till I'm numb, can't seem to see anything for Win 11? I'm running 21H2 build 22000.467.

Hello @towlerg welcome to ElevenForum. :)

You should be able to associate .zip files with WinRAR, in WinRAR's preferences.
Have you tried that?

towlerg said:

I use RAR for both .zip and .rar. I dislike the way windows explorer (and 3 party replacements) handle a double left click on .zip (.rar is ok) ie. use in-built function to decompress the file.

Click to expand...

Welcome to Eleven Forum

As Ghot says, you can change the file association to use your WinRAR instead. The easiest way is to right-click on a .zip, choose Open with > Choose another app, and tick its box for 'Always use this app...'.

Hi, thanks for the welcome. WinRar is already set to be the default app for file extension .zip

This functionality has been around since XP. see here

towlerg said:

Hi, thanks for the welcome. WinRar is already set to be the default app for file extension .zip
View attachment 21070
This functionality has been around since XP. see here

Click to expand...

Did you TRY deleting this key as suggested for Windows 10?
If it's even there in Windows 11.

HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CLSID\{E88DCCE0-B7B3-11d1-A9F0-00AA0060FA31}


Ofc, back up the registry before attempting.


It's a bit early in Windows 11's lifetime for registry hacks about things like .zip file handling.

In Windows 10 it looks like this. Make sure you see a zipfldr.dll mentioned in this CLSID number, if this 31 digit CLSID number is even there in Windows 11.










/edit

Well, it seems to be there in Windows 11 as well. I would assume it will work the same as in Windows 10...




on the LEFT side, right click the {E88DCCE0-B7B3-11d1-A9F0-00AA0060FA31} Key and choose delete.

You can export (right click and choose: Export), this key to your desktop, before deleting it. That way, if you decide that you want it back, you can just double click the exported key, to restore it.

Like most registry tweaks, you'll probably have to reboot for it to take affect.





Here's a .zip file with just a blank text file inside to test with....

Here's some more tweaks to play with, if you get bored...

@Ghot, I deleted both of the keys mentioned but to no avail.

towlerg said:

@Ghot, I deleted both of the keys mentioned but to no avail.

Click to expand...

The opnly other thing I can think of is to do as @Bree suggested in post #3.
Right click a .zip file and choose Open with... and then choose: Another app, then choose: WinRAR from the list, and choose: Always use this app.

Ghot said:

Did you TRY deleting this key as suggested for Windows 10?
If it's even there in Windows 11.

HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CLSID\{E88DCCE0-B7B3-11d1-A9F0-00AA0060FA31}


Ofc, back up the registry before attempting.


It's a bit early in Windows 11's lifetime for registry hacks about things like .zip file handling.

In Windows 10 it looks like this. Make sure you see a zipfldr.dll mentioned in this CLSID number, if this 31 digit CLSID number is even there in Windows 11.

View attachment 21075








/edit

Well, it seems to be there in Windows 11 as well. I would assume it will work the same as in Windows 10...

View attachment 21077


on the LEFT side, right click the {E88DCCE0-B7B3-11d1-A9F0-00AA0060FA31} Key and choose delete.

You can export (right click and choose: Export), this key to your desktop, before deleting it. That way, if you decide that you want it back, you can just double click the exported key, to restore it.

Like most registry tweaks, you'll probably have to reboot for it to take affect.





Here's a .zip file with just a blank text file inside to test with....

Click to expand...

the problem is that users since Win7 cannot easily delete this {E88DCCE0-B7B3-11d1-A9F0-00AA0060FA31} Key as it is protected by the OS

When you try to delete them, you will almost certainly get an "access denied" or "failed" type of message.

Click to expand...

see solution here in this MS Windows forums thread on deleting this key after changing registry permissions & ownership
then after doing this, reboot for the change to take effect

edit - note that this will have to be repeated when re-installing Win11 or when installing a future "feature update" like 22H2

@erpster4 I was aware of the ownership issues around these keys, I used the procedure described here the info for Win7 which also worked on Win10. Sorry I should have posted that info.

Just to be sure to be sure I checked and both the keys were back. Rebooted and voila, ta da, zips open in Winrar. No idea except perhaps ms snuck in an update the reintroduced the tabs. Will report back after a few reboots.

I note that there a several references to these two keys. I see what happens and try deleting them.

I've got KB5010386 pending, I wonder what new hell that will bring with it.