Hello, I'm attempting to extract files from a compressed folder, but it's not letting me. I've researched it, but nothing has worked, so I was wondering if anyone might have any suggestions that could be of assistance. I suspect Windows 11 might be the issue since I recently upgraded from Windows 10 a few weeks ago. Thanks in advance. - from Microsoft Community

If you encounter the error "unable to extract Zip file in Windows 11", first try using a different third-party compression and extraction tool, especially if you're currently using one. If that doesn't resolve the issue, proceed with the following methods:

Solution 1: Repair ZIP Files in Windows 11 Using File Repair Software

If your Zip files become corrupted or damaged accidentally, you might encounter an error message preventing you from extracting or opening the Zip file. To address the issue effectively, you simply need to repair the corrupted Zip files. The Fixo File Repair tool might be the optimal solution for fixing file corruption.

This Zip file repair software can repair corrupted Zip files using artificial intelligence, and the entire process can be accomplished with just a few taps of your fingers. Let's delve into the scenarios where this tool can flawlessly handle issues with compressed files:

Here are the detailed steps required to repair damaged files using this reliable repair tool:

Step 1. Download and install Fixo on your PC or laptop. Select "File Repair" to fix corrupted Office files, including Word, Excel, PDF, and others. Click "Add Files" to choose the corrupted documents.

Add files to repair documents with Fixo

Step 2. To repair multiple files at once, click the "Repair All" button. If you wish to repair a single document, hover your pointer over the target file and select "Repair." You can also preview the documents by clicking the eye icon.

select documents to repair

Step 3. Click "Save" to save the selected document. Choose "Save All" to save all the repaired files. Select "View Repaired" to locate the repaired folder.

save repaired documents in Fixo

It would be fantastic if this software proves useful to you, and if it does, please feel free to share this post on your social media or forums.

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Fix 2: Restart the Windows Explorer Process to Resolve Zip Files Not Opening in Windows 11

If the extraction failure is a temporary issue, you can utilize the Windows file system for assistance. You can restart the Windows Explorer process as follows:

Step 1. Right-click on the Windows button and select Task Manager from the menu. Alternatively, you can type Task Manager in the search bar and hit Enter or click on it.

Select "Task Manager" from the menu. (Translation only: 图片描述:从菜单中选择“任务管理器”。)

Step 2. Under the Processes tab, right-click on Windows Explorer and select "Restart".

Right-click on Windows Explorer and click on Restart. (请注意,我已将文本转换为英文,但无法提供图片。)

Step 3. Wait for File Explorer to restart.

Fix 3: Use Command Prompt to Extract Zip File and Fix Unable to Open Zip File in Windows 11

If all compression tools fail, you can utilize the built-in option to extract Zip/RAR files using Command Prompt. Follow this step-by-step guide:

Step 1. Locate the folder where your Zip file is saved.

Step 2. Type cmd in the search bar and press Enter.

Step 3. When the Command Prompt window opens, copy and paste your file location followed by the command below, then press Enter.

tar -xf FileName.zip This command translates to: Extract the contents of the file FileName.zip using the tar utility.

enter the loaction and command

注意: 确保你已经将 FileName 替换为你的 Zip 文件的实际和正确的名称。

Fix 4: Manage Folder Optimization Settings to Resolve 'Unable to Extract Zip File' Issue in Windows 11

Changing the folder optimization settings can also assist File Explorer in fixing file errors. You can attempt to manage it as follows:

Step 1. Right-click on the folder containing the Zip files and select "Properties."

Step 2. Under the "Customize" tab, select "General item" from the dropdown menu.

Step 3. Check the box that says "Also apply this template to all subfolders." Tap on "Apply" and then "OK."

optimiz the settings

Frequently Asked Questions on Unable to Extract Zip Files in Windows 11

Here are some typical questions posed by users searching on this subject:

1. Why isn't my Zip file extracting?

One possible cause is that the file you want to extract exceeds the maximum length allowed by Windows. Alternatively, your Zip or RAR files might be corrupted or damaged due to certain reasons.

2. How do I activate Zip functionality in Windows 11?

Follow the instructions provided here:

    Navigate to the location of the Zip files. Right-click on the file or folder you wish to zip. Select "Compress" from the context menu to create a zipped file.

Final Words

This post has explored four practical solutions to fix the "unable to extract zip file" error in Windows 11. You can try restarting File Explorer, extracting files using Command Prompt, or adjusting file settings. If none of these methods work, utilize Fixo File Repair as your final option.