Windows 11 to introduce native support for RAR files and other archive formats

Microsoft has announced that Windows 11 will come with native support for additional archive formats, including RAR files. This means that users will no longer have to rely on third-party programs like WinRAR to open these types of files.

Until now, using WinRAR or similar programs was the only way to open RAR files in Windows, as Microsoft has never added native support for the format. However, with Windows 11, users will be able to open RAR files directly from the operating system, without the need for additional software.

In addition to RAR files, Windows 11 will also support other archive formats such as tar, 7-zip, gz, and many others using the libarchive open-source project. This will provide users with improved performance of archive functionality during compression on Windows.

The announcement was made by Windows chief Panos Panay in a blog post.

This move by Microsoft is likely to be welcomed by many Windows users who have had to rely on third-party programs to open RAR files in the past. With native support for these formats, users will be able to save time and effort, and enjoy a more streamlined experience when working with archive files.