Microsoft's June 2024 update for Windows 11, delivered as KB5039302, added a capability that many users still don't know they have: the operating system can now create not just ZIP archives, but also 7z, RAR, and TAR files—no third-party apps required. The feature has matured through version 24H2, and if you've been installing 7-Zip out of habit, it's time to reassess what your PC can already do.

What Windows 11 actually added—and when

For years, Windows handled archives like a minimalist. Right-click a file, choose “Send to,” and pick “Compressed (zipped) folder,” and you’d get a classic ZIP. That method still works on Windows 10 and 11, but Windows 11 introduced a cleaner “Compress to” menu in File Explorer, offering a one-click “ZIP File” option.

The real leap came in mid-2024. Microsoft’s optional KB5039302 preview (June 25, 2024) shipped with an expanded archive interface. Suddenly, selecting “Compress to” and then “Additional options” opened a wizard that let you pick from several archive formats: ZIP, 7z, RAR, and TAR. You could adjust compression levels, choose a destination folder, and even name the archive before creation. This wasn't just extraction—it was full native creation.

Windows 11 version 24H2, which began rolling out later in 2024, baked those capabilities into the mainstream build. The same expanded tools are present in the upcoming 25H2 builds. As a recent Technobezz guide details, the exact options you see depend on your installed version and the selected format, but the core offering is now part of Windows.

This change means that for the first time, Windows comes close to matching what dedicated archivers like 7-Zip or WinRAR have offered for decades—at least for basic packing and unpacking. It doesn't support encrypted archives, and there are important file-size limits in some command-line tools, but for everyday bundling, the built-in toolkit now feels complete.

Why this matters for everyday users

If you’re a home user who occasionally needs to email a folder of documents or send a batch of photos, you can stop reaching for external software. The new File Explorer wizard is fast, local, and requires zero installation. It also eliminates the risk of downloading a fake or ad-bundled archiver from a search result.

Power users and IT professionals get something else: consistency. With archive creation available through the standard context menu and via PowerShell and the Windows terminal, you can script compression tasks without managing extra dependencies. The Compress-Archive cmdlet has existed since Windows PowerShell 5.1, but now it lives alongside a robust tar command that creates ZIP, 7z, and TAR archives by simply using the right file extension.

Developers and cross-platform users will appreciate that Windows’ tar utility, based on bsdtar, behaves the same as on Linux or macOS when you need to pack a directory for deployment.

But there are sharp edges. The built-in tools will not protect your data with a password—standard Windows ZIP files have no encryption. Worse, as Microsoft warns, adding an encrypted file to a ZIP created with the built-in tool can actually strip that encryption when the file is later extracted. Sensitive material demands a dedicated, approved encrypted archive tool or a secure sharing method. For general use, though, the convenience outweighs the risks.

How we got from compressed folders to a multi-format archive hub

Microsoft first tucked ZIP support into Windows XP, calling it “Compressed (zipped) folders.” The feature was rudimentary: create a ZIP by sending files to it, and open one by double-clicking as if it were a folder. For two decades, that’s essentially all Windows offered, while third-party tools filled the gap with advanced compression algorithms, encryption, and support for formats like 7z and RAR.

Windows 10 kept the XP-era Send to menu, but Windows 11’s redesign of the right-click context menu introduced the “Compress to” option. Initially, it only created ZIP files, but Microsoft had been quietly testing broader archive support in Insider builds.

The move isn’t purely altruistic—archive compatibility reduces friction for users migrating from other platforms and cuts down on support calls. It also aligns with broader industry trends toward open-source libraries; Microsoft’s tar implementation is a testament to that. By absorbing the most common third-party use cases, Windows becomes more self-sufficient.

Your new archive workflow: a practical guide

Now for the part you came for. Here’s how to use the updated tools, whether you need a quick ZIP or a customized 7z archive.

The one-click ZIP method (Windows 11)

Select the files or folder you want to compress. Right-click, choose Compress to, then ZIP File. Type a name and press Enter. The archive appears in the same location instantly.

If you don’t see “Compress to,” click Show more options (or press Shift+F10) and navigate to Send to > Compressed (zipped) folder. This is the classic fallback that works on Windows 10 as well.

Using the new wizard for 7z, RAR, or TAR

When a plain ZIP won’t do, the wizard gives you control. Right-click your selection, pick Compress to > Additional options. In the window that opens, choose your archive type—say, 7z—from the format dropdown. You can then set a compression method (if available), decide on a destination other than the current folder, and give the archive a meaningful name. Click the button to create.

This is ideal for large compilations where you want a smaller file size (7z often beats ZIP) or need to send something to a recipient who expects a RAR file.

Adding to an existing archive

Forgot a file? Double-click the ZIP to open it as a compressed folder, then drag new items in from a separate File Explorer window. Windows copies them in without a full rebuild. To remove an item, delete it from the compressed folder view. This works for ZIP only; the built-in tools don’t yet let you modify 7z or RAR archives in the same click-and-drag way.

PowerShell: the repeatable route

When you need to script compression or bypass the GUI entirely, Compress-Archive is your friend. It’s included in Windows PowerShell 5.1 and newer.

Compress-Archive -Path "C:\Users\Jane\Documents\Project" -DestinationPath "C:\Archives\Project.zip"

That command zips the entire Project folder inside a new folder named Project inside the archive. To zip only the contents, use a wildcard:

Compress-Archive -Path "C:\Users\Jane\Documents\Project\*" -DestinationPath "C:\Archives\Project.zip"

You can update an existing ZIP with -Update or overwrite it with -Force. Compression levels are Optimal (default), Fastest, or NoCompression.

Important limitations: Compress-Archive ignores hidden files and has a 2GB per-file limit. If those get in your way, switch to tar.

When to reach for the tar command

Windows’ built-in tar is more flexible and handles hidden files seamlessly. Open Terminal or Command Prompt, navigate to the parent directory, and run:

tar -caf MyArchive.zip .\MyFolder

The -c creates an archive, -a guesses the format from the output extension (so .zip makes a ZIP, .7z makes a 7z, and .tar.gz makes a compressed tarball), and -f specifies the filename.

To verify without extracting: tar -tf MyArchive.zip. This prints the list of files inside. Because tar respects hidden files and has no 2GB limit, it’s often the better command-line choice.

Verifying before you delete the originals

No matter which method you use, test your archive before moving or deleting source files. Double-click it, extract to a temporary folder, and open a few files to ensure they’re intact. Check that the total file count and size roughly match your expectations—though remember, already-compressed media (JPEG, MP4, existing ZIPs) won’t shrink much. Only when the extraction test passes should you consider the job done.

Security note: encryption and hidden files

The built-in tools handle everyday archiving well, but they have two significant gaps. First, as mentioned, they offer no encryption. A Windows-created ZIP is open to anyone who receives it. Sensitive documents must be encrypted with a third-party tool like 7-Zip (which supports AES-256) or via file-level encryption such as BitLocker before archiving.

Second, the Compress-Archive cmdlet skips hidden files entirely. If your script silently omits .git folders or AppData content, your backup is incomplete. Always inspect your sources with hidden items visible (View > Show > Hidden items in File Explorer) and opt for tar or File Explorer when hidden files matter.

Outlook: a future without third-party archivers?

Windows 11’s archive evolution isn’t finished. The 24H2 feature set hints at a trajectory where Microsoft might one day offer native encrypted archives or even a built-in archive repair tool. For now, the operating system handles the 90% use case: quickly bundling files for transfer or storage, with support for the formats people actually exchange.

Dedicated apps like 7-Zip, WinRAR, and PeaZip aren’t going anywhere. They remain essential for encryption, splitting large archives, repairing corrupted files, or fine-tuning compression parameters. But for the first time in Windows’ history, the “maybe I don’t need that extra download” thought is a reasonable one.

That’s not a small shift. It’s the culmination of two decades of incremental progress, and it makes Windows a more capable operating system out of the box.