Zip Folders - Enable or Disable Windows Explorer View

Disable Explorer Folder View of Cab and Zip Files in Vista, Windows 7, and Windows 8​

   Information

By default, Windows handles ZIP files just like folders. ZIP files will show in the navigation pane of Windows Explorer, and if selected in the navigation pane, you will see the ZIP file's contents in Windows Explorer just like a folder.

If you have a 3rd party ZIP program (ex: 7-Zip, etc.) installed, then this can be an annoyance to you and you may want to turn this feature off so ZIP files will only open in the program instead of Windows Explorer.

This tutorial will show you how to enable or disable ZIP folders (compressed and cab folders) from having their contents expand and show in Windows Explorer like folders for all users.

   Note

Compressed (ZIP) folders and Cab folders are enabled by default to have their content expand and display in Windows Explorer folder view like normal folders.

If disabled, you will only be able to open ZIP and CAB files and extract/view their contents with a 3rd party program (ex: 7-Zip, etc.). You will only see the ZIP and CAB files in Windows Explorer.

   Warning

This can only be done while logged on to an administrator account.

EXAMPLE: Zip Folders (compressed and cab folders) Enabled and Disabled




Here's How:

1. Do step 2 and/or 3 or step 4 and/or 5 below for what you would like to do.

2. To Enable ZIP Compressed Folders
NOTE: This is the default setting.
A) Click/tap on the Download button below to download the file below, and go to step 6 below.
Enable_ZIP_Compressed_Folders.reg


Download


3. To Enable CAB Folders
NOTE: This is the default setting.
A) Click/tap on the Download button below to download the file below, and go to step 6 below.
Enable_CAB_Files.reg

Download


4. To Disable ZIP Compressed Folders
A) Click/tap on the Download button below to download the file below, and go to step 6 below.
Disable_ZIP_Compressed_Folders.reg


Download


5. To Disable CAB Folders
A) Click/tap on the Download button below to download the file below, and go to step 6 below.
Disable_CAB_Files.reg

Download


6. Save the .reg file to your desktop.

7. Double click/tap on the downloaded .reg file to merge it.

8. If prompted, click on Run, Yes (UAC Windows 7/8) or Continue (UAC Vista), Yes, and OK when prompted.

9. Log out and in, or restart the PC to apply.


That's it,
Shawn

Related Tutorials

---

• How To Zip (Compress) a File or Folder in Windows
• How to Enable or Disable Zip Extracted Show Files Window

 

[keywester]

An excellent fix for one of the most annoying Windoze "features". (I had to reboot before it worked)
Thanks!

 

[Brink]

You're welcome Keywester, and welcome to Seven Forums. Thank you for posting back your feedback.

 

[unifex]

Thanks Shawn, excellent tutorial, worked like a charm! Did not even have to restart! It was a bit annoying to have all zip files listed as folders. If I have a folder full of such files than the folder pane would basically be useless. Now it works as it's supposed to!

 

[Brink]

You're welcome Unifex. I'm happy to hear that you got them working again.

 

[CraXJaX]

Thanks so much Brink... Needed to restart before it stopped showing in my left pane.. But it worked flawlessly..

 

[Brink]

You're welcome JaX. I added a note to the tutorial that some may need to restart. Thank you for posting back with your results.

 

[crackolio]

zip folders stills appears

zip folders stills appears in the "save as" dialogs when you download something

maybe something more is needed.

 

[MilesAhead]

You're welcome JaX. I added a note to the tutorial that some may need to restart. Thank you for posting back with your results.

Hmmmmm, I just right-clicked on a zip file and selected Open With... 7-zip and checked "Always yadda yadda"

I still have the option in Explorer little "Open" drop down thingy to open using explorer, but it got rid of those stupid folder icons with the zippers.

 

[Brink]

zip folders stills appears in the "save as" dialogs when you download something

maybe something more is needed.

Hello Crackolio, and welcome to Seven Forums.

That's only because you are using a 3rd party ZIP program as the default ZIP program, so those files will still show up. If you were using the default Windows 7 ZIP handler instead, then they would no longer be there afterwards.

Hope this helps,
Shawn

 

[crackolio]

Ok here is without any 3rd party ZIP program, and the annoying zip folders still appears in save dialogs

I am using Windows 7 Ultimate x64 Retail build 7600.

 

[Brink]

Crackolio,

In some cases you may need to log off and on, or restart the computer to apply. Did you log off and log on to fully apply the change to see if it still shows up?

 

[crackolio]

Crackolio,

In some cases you may need to log off and on, or restart the computer to apply. Did you log off and log on to fully apply the change to see if it still shows up?

Yes i restarted the pc, also i re-enabled and disabled the built in zip support with the same results.

Am i the only with this problem?

 

[Brink]

Crackolio.

I'm not sure why you still see it in the navigation pane. Did you disable both ZIP and CAB file views?

 

[crackolio]

Crackolio.

I'm not sure why you still see it in the navigation pane. Did you disable both ZIP and CAB file views?

It only happen when i download something and browse in the folders, it appears in "save as" dialog, i have tried with dif. browsers (iexplorer, firefox, etc) and nothing changes.

I think that there are something wrong in my seven installation, i will reinstall it.

 

[Brink]

Crackolio,

Ah, you didn't say that it was in one of the "Save As" windows. I was thinking you were having this problem in a normaly Windows Explorer window. I have updated the tutorial to add a part for 64-bit Windows 7 for these type of windows.

Hope this helps,
Shawn.

 

[crackolio]

Thank you

Crackolio,

Ah, you didn't say that it was in one of the "Save As" windows. I was thinking you were having this problem in a normaly Windows Explorer window. I have updated the tutorial to add a part for 64-bit Windows 7 for these type of windows.

Hope this helps,
Shawn.

I said it in my first post, but anyway... the extra steps for 64bit editions worked fine, many thanks

 

[Brink]

Crackolio,

LOL, I don't see how I missed that in your 1st post, but I'm happy to hear that the additions to the tutorial worked for you.

 

[tannim]

Is there any program that can do this for somebody yet? It's a royal pain in the patooki to do this. Tutorial appreciated though it didn't work last time I tried it so didn't bother again after last re-install. Anybody have a program that automatically does it for the user?

 

[oakinger]

if you don't want to remove entire windows explorer ZIP support, but only want to disable the shell integration for view ZIP content, it is sufficient to simply delete (or rename) the key

HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CLSID\{E88DCCE0-B7B3-11d1-A9F0-00AA0060FA31}\ShellFolder

on 64bit Windows 7 you also need to delete

HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Wow6432Node\CLSID\{E88DCCE0-B7B3-11d1-A9F0-00AA0060FA31}\ShellFolder


before being able to delete those keys:

1) login with Administrator permissions
2) in the security properties of the keys take ownership

hth

 

[pgriffet]

Hi all, this is Pierre from Belgium, bear with my basic english.
I run Win7 32 bits and against all odds, I want to re-enable zip folders.
So I have followed the steps (option 2) but I haven't re-enable cab files.
But I still have zip files like other not recognized files !
Am I missing something ?
All the keys are well created in the registry.
Thanks for reading me.