Microsoft's Windows 11 now supports 11 additional file archive formats, including RAR and 7-Zip, with the help of the open-source libarchive project. The update, available through the optional KB5031455 Preview cumulative update, adds support for formats such as .tar, .tar.gz, and .7z. However, password-protected archive support is not yet available. The update also brings new features to Windows 11, including an improved File Explorer and an AI-powered Copilot.
Microsoft has released an early preview of Windows Copilot, a sidebar AI assistant for Windows 11 that can answer questions and perform system commands. The update also includes native support for RAR and 7-Zip files, an improved volume mixer UI, a new Settings homepage, and a suggestions feature for Snap Layouts. Windows Copilot is still in development and lacks full functionality, while the archive format support may have initial performance issues. These features are currently available for testing by Windows Insiders.
Microsoft is adding built-in support for RAR, 7-zip, .tar, and other archive types to Windows, beyond the current support for .zip files. The feature will be especially useful for developers and users of the Windows Subsystem for Linux. The support will be handled by the open source libarchive project, and will likely match the list of file types on libarchive's GitHub page. The feature will be added to a "work-in-progress" build later this week, and may be exclusive to Windows Insider preview builds before rolling out to the general public.
Microsoft is adding native support for RAR, 7-Zip, and GZ archives to an upcoming version of Windows 11, using the open-source libarchive project. This will improve the performance of archive functionality during compression on Windows. Support for these archive formats will be rolling out to Windows 11 users over the coming days in a 'work-in-progress' update.
