Did you know that recent Windows 11 versions let you open TAR, 7Z, RAR, and more archive types without downloading third-party apps? Moreover, the upcoming Windows 11 version 24H2 will make it possible to compress files to 7Z and TAR, specify compression ratio, and more. However, you do not have to wait half a year to get your hands on that feature. Improved archive support is coming to Windows 11 versions 22H2 and 23H2. PhantomOfEarth noticed that the latest Windows 11 Beta build contains a feature ID that lets you enable TAR and 7Z compression in File Explorer. Once enabled, you can right-click a selection of files, click "Compress to," and select the format you want. Alternatively, you can click "More options" to open a wizard with additional features, such as compression method or level. Microsoft has not announced the archive support improvements for the Beta Channel yet, not to mention Stable. However, recent updates showed that new features do not stay long in the Beta Channel, and they quickly move to Stable releases.

Support for creating 7z and TAR archives natively is being backported from Germanium (24H2) to version 23H2/22H2 (Nickel). Present and fully functional in Beta 22635.3566, but disabled by default.

vivetool /enable /id:49256040 pic.twitter.com/CieGGcmCXd

— PhantomOcean3 🌳 (@PhantomOfEarth) April 27, 2024