Solved Is it possible to disable zip folders ?

lugran · Feb 11, 2024

I use Windows 11 Pro 22H2 ver 22621.3007.

In windows 7 to 11, .zip file is treated as folder in windows explorer.

They appear as folders in the left pane of Explorer as part of the folder structure, which is what I do not want.

For windows 7, it is possible to treat .zip file as just common file, not folder.

By disabling zip folder feature. See :

Zip Folders - Enable or Disable Windows Explorer View

Disable Explorer Folder View of Cab and Zip Files in Vista, Windows 7, and Windows 8

www.sevenforums.com

Similary, in windows 11, is there a way to disable zip folder feature?

A related post is

Stopping Windows 11 from showing .zip files as folders?

Windows 11 shows .zip files as folders in Explorer and I would like to change this behavior. That is, in the left folder pane of Explorer, zip files are shown alongside actual folders. With Windows 10 you could delete the following 3 keys in the Registry which resolved the issue (I am not 100%...

www.elevenforum.com

but, It seems that there is no clear conclusion yet.

Note that I use 7-zip.

lugran · Feb 11, 2024

I haven't noticed until now, that other compressed file extensions like
.rar and .7z are also treated as folder.

I think my question should be changed to target all compressed file extensions.
(equivalently, just all file extensions.)

Edwin · Feb 11, 2024

@lugran
What's your full objective?
Do you keep lots of zip folders around and can't stand the sight of them, or what?

lugran · Feb 11, 2024

Yes! I don't want to see zip, rar, 7z files in the left pane of windows explorer.

hsehestedt · Feb 11, 2024

You can change the default app for handling files with the .ZIP extension so that File Explorer will no longer operate on ZIP files.

Go into Settings > Apps > Default apps

hsehestedt · Feb 11, 2024

You can also simply turn off the option to show all folders to make the left pane nice and clean.

Edwin · Feb 11, 2024

lugran said:
Yes! I don't want to see zip, rar, 7z files in the left pane of windows explorer.

Oh..., okay.
Did you try the sevenforums tutorial?

lugran · Feb 11, 2024

Anyway, now in my PC, only .rar and .7z are treated as folder.
Surprisingly .zip is treated as common file.
I don't know exactly how this situation came to be.

I attach screenshots :

lugran · Feb 11, 2024

@Edwin, Wow your reply was helpful!

The file Disable_ZIP_Compressed_Folders.reg on sevenforum.com worked on my PC (window 11)!

Zip Folders - Enable or Disable Windows Explorer View

Disable Explorer Folder View of Cab and Zip Files in Vista, Windows 7, and Windows 8

www.sevenforums.com

Due to my mistake, I thought that .reg didn't work. In fact, it worked well window 11, for zip extension.

For other compression extensions like .rar , .7z,... it has not been solved yet.

lugran · Feb 11, 2024

I found the solution!
Disable_ZIP_Compressed_Folders.reg just remove 2 registry keys.

Disable_ZIP_Compressed_Folders.reg :
-----------------------------------------------------
Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00
[-HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CompressedFolder\CLSID]
[-HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\SystemFileAssociations\.zip\CLSID]
----------------------------------------------------

So, if you don't want to see .zip and .rar and .7z in the left pane of window explorer, apply
-----------------------------------------------------
Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00
[-HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CompressedFolder\CLSID]
[-HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\SystemFileAssociations\.zip\CLSID]
[-HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\SystemFileAssociations\.rar\CLSID]
[-HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\SystemFileAssociations\.7z\CLSID]
----------------------------------------------------

Now it looks good

:

lugran · Feb 11, 2024

It seems perfect if we just know the list of all such extensions that this logic can work with.

mingle · Mar 25, 2024

@lugran,

Yes! This worked for me...

I'd been banging my head against the proverbial brick-wall, following the instructions on other threads, but none of them worked.

Thanks again,

Mike.

glasskuter · Mar 25, 2024

hsehestedt said:
You can also simply turn off the option to show all folders to make the left pane nice and clean.

I'll AMEN to that. I want my entry into file explorer to be as clean as possible. Why anyone wants all that stuff in the main pane of explorer is beyond me.

Winuser · Mar 25, 2024

hsehestedt said:
You can also simply turn off the option to show all folders to make the left pane nice and clean.

That's how I have all of my computers set. When it comes to File Explorer I agree with @glasskuter, I want a clean look.

andrew129260 · Mar 25, 2024

glasskuter said:
I'll AMEN to that. I want my entry into file explorer to be as clean as possible. Why anyone wants all that stuff in the main pane of explorer is beyond me.

as well as the show frequently used folders you can also uncheck

Jett · Nov 9, 2024

lugran said:
I found the solution!
Disable_ZIP_Compressed_Folders.reg just remove 2 registry keys.

Disable_ZIP_Compressed_Folders.reg :
-----------------------------------------------------
Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00
[-HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CompressedFolder\CLSID]
[-HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\SystemFileAssociations\.zip\CLSID]
----------------------------------------------------

So, if you don't want to see .zip and .rar and .7z in the left pane of window explorer, apply
-----------------------------------------------------
Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00
[-HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CompressedFolder\CLSID]
[-HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\SystemFileAssociations\.zip\CLSID]
[-HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\SystemFileAssociations\.rar\CLSID]
[-HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\SystemFileAssociations\.7z\CLSID]
----------------------------------------------------

Now it looks good :
View attachment 86832

Yes the thread is old but I've been looking for a solution to stop zip files being viewed as folders. There are so many "fixes" out there and many that don't work so I haven't tried any of them, outdated. But this one looks like it might be the one. Is it confrimed that this solution will fix the issue? anyone?

glasskuter · Nov 9, 2024

Jett said:
Is it confrimed that this solution will fix the issue? anyone?

Unless my early morning brain running on only 3 sips of coffee is deceiving me, I see that reg change removing the file extensions of zip, rar, and 7zip entirely from the system. Without those entries, one can not work with zip or 7zip files at all.

Edwin · Nov 9, 2024

I rarely keep zip folders around, I unpack them then delete them!

Jett · Nov 9, 2024

glasskuter said:
Unless my early morning brain running on only 3 sips of coffee is deceiving me, I see that reg change removing the file extensions of zip, rar, and 7zip entirely from the system. Without those entries, one can not work with zip or 7zip files at all.

Yikes! I have 7-zip installed but I just want to disable the zip files being viewed by win11. Thank you for the info.

Jett · Nov 9, 2024

Edwin said:
I rarely keep zip folders around, I unpack them then delete them!

I archive them on an external USB drive. Not every zip file, just those I maybe require at some time as well as programs I've purchased.

Solved Is it possible to disable zip folders ?

Member

My Computer

Member

My Computer

♦ ♦

My Computers

Member

My Computer

Well-known member

My Computers

Well-known member

My Computers

♦ ♦

My Computers

Member

My Computer

Member

My Computer

Member

My Computer

Member

My Computer

Well-known member

My Computer

aka Mama Glass

My Computers

Well-known member

My Computers

Well-known member

My Computers

Member

My Computer

aka Mama Glass

My Computers

♦ ♦

My Computers

Member

My Computer

Member

My Computer

Similar threads