How to create ZIP, TAR, and 7z archival format files on Windows 11

Q: Can Windows 11 create compressed files using the Command Prompt or PowerShell?

Yes, but only for certain formats. Windows 11 includes the tar.exe command-line tool, which lets you create TAR archives from the Command Prompt or PowerShell. You can also create ZIP files with the Compress-Archive PowerShell command. However, Windows does not include a built-in command-line tool for creating 7z archives, so this requires third-party software such as 7-Zip.

Windows 11 has native support for creating TAR and 7z archives directly from File Explorer.
The new compression wizard allows users to select the archive format, compression method, and compression level.
Supported creation formats include ZIP, TAR, and 7z, while extraction also supports formats like RAR.
Users can customize settings such as compression algorithms, archive location, and link retention options.
Password protection and encryption are not supported by the built-in tool.

On Windows 11, you can create TAR, 7z, and ZIP archive files directly from File Explorer using a new compression wizard. In this guide, I’ll walk you through how to use this feature to create archives in each supported format.

The ability to create and extract ZIP files has existed in the operating system for many years. Later, native support expanded in version 23H2 to allow users to extract additional formats, including RAR, TAR, and 7z, without relying on third-party utilities. Starting with version 24H2, the system also introduces the ability to create archives in the TAR and 7z formats, bringing broader built-in compression capabilities.

This functionality is made possible by integrating the libarchive open-source project, which powers the expanded archive support. In addition, File Explorer now includes a dedicated compression wizard that allows you to configure how the archive is created. Using this interface, you can select the archive format, choose the compression method, adjust the compression level, and configure several additional options.

While the wizard also allows you to customize the compression method and level for ZIP archives, the built-in tools still do not support password protection or encryption when creating or extracting archives. If you require those capabilities, you will still need a third-party utility such as 7-Zip.

In this guide, I will outline the steps to create archival files in each supported format, including TAR, 7-Zip, and ZIP.

Create TAR archival format on Windows 11
Create 7z archival format on Windows 11
Create ZIP archival format on Windows 11
FAQs about creating ZIP, TAR, and 7z files on Windows 11

Create TAR archival format on Windows 11

To create a TAR file on Windows 11, use these steps:

Open File Explorer on Windows 11.
Open the folder location with the files and folders to compress.
Right-click the file or folder, select “Compress to,” and click “Additional options.”
(Optional) Click the Browse button to select where the archive can be stored.

Quick note: The default location is where the original files are stored.
Choose the “tar (GNU)” option from the “Archive format” setting.

Quick note: While the GNU option is the most widely used, “tar” has various options, including POSIX pax interchange, Restricted POSIX pax interchange, and POSIX ustar. You can learn more on the GNU page.
Select the compression method, including BZIP2, Gzip, xz, or Zstandard.

Quick note: I usually select the “Gzip” option to create a “tar.gz” file.
Choose the compression level.
(Optional) Check the “Retain symbolic links” option to preserve the element pointer to another file or directory in a file system.
(Optional) Check the “Retain hard links” option always to point a filename to data on a storage device.
Click the Create button.

Once you complete the steps, the TAR archival format file will be created according to the compression settings.

Since the operating system comes with native support for many archival formats, you can also use File Explorer to open and extract the TAR file.

If you want to use the default compression method and level, right-click the file or folder, select “Compress to,” and choose the “TAR File” option.

Create 7z archival format on Windows 11

To create a 7zip file on Windows 11, use these steps:

Open File Explorer.
Open the folder location with the files and folders to compress.
Right-click the file or folder, select “Compress to,” and click “Additional options.”
(Optional) Click the Browse button to select where the archive can be stored.
Choose the “7zip” option from the “Archive format” setting.
Select the compression method for the 7z file, including Store, Deflare, BZIP2, LZMA1, LZMA2 (default), or PPMd.
Choose the compression level.
(Optional) Check the “Retain symbolic links” option to preserve the element pointer to another file or directory in a file system.
Click the Create button.

After you complete the steps, the 7z file format will be created on the computer.

Since the operating system has native support for many archival formats, you can also use File Explorer to open and extract the 7z file.

If you want to use the default compression method and level, right-click the file or folder, select “Compress to,” and choose the “7z File” option.

Create ZIP archival format on Windows 11

To create a ZIP file on Windows 11, use these steps:

Open File Explorer.
Open the folder location with the files and folders to compress.
Right-click the file or folder, select “Compress to,” and click “Additional options.”
(Optional) Click the Browse button to select where the archive can be stored.
Choose the “ZIP” option from the “Archive format” setting.
Select the compression method, including Store or Deflare.
Choose the compression level.
(Optional) Check the “Retain symbolic links” option to preserve the element pointer to another file or directory in a file system.
Click the Create button.

Once you complete the steps, the ZIP file will be created with the compression settings you specified.

You can always open the ZIP file in File Explorer, as you could in the past. If you want to use the default compression method and level, right-click the file or folder, select “Compress to,” and choose the “ZIP File” option.

Other details

Creation support includes ZIP, TAR, and 7-Zip archival formats with options to choose custom compression methods and levels. However, you cannot work with passwords or encryption.

Although you have been able to create ZIP files for a long time, it’s not until version 24H2 that you can also choose the ZIP compression method and level.

Open and extract support includes ZIP, TAR, 7-Zip, and RAR archival formats as long as they’re not encrypted. Some of the formats you can open and extract include “.tar,” .tar.gz,” “.tar.bz2,” “.tar.zst,” “.tar.xz,” “.tgz,” .tbz2,” “.tzst,” .txz,” .rar,” and “.7z”.

While you have been able to use the Compress-Archive command tool to create ZIP files with PowerShell and the native “tar.exe” tool to create “tar” files with Command Prompt or PowerShell, Windows 11 doesn’t include a specific command tool to create the different archival formats or another tool to create “7z” files.

FAQs about creating ZIP, TAR, and 7z files on Windows 11

Here’s a list of frequently asked questions (FAQs) and answers about creating ZIP, TAR, and 7z archival format files on Windows 11.

How do you create a 7z, TAR, or ZIP archive in Windows 11?

On Windows 11 24H2 and later, you can create 7z, TAR, and ZIP archives directly from File Explorer. Right-click the file or folder, select “Compress to” and then “Additional options,” choose the archive format, set the compression method and level, and click Create to generate the archive.

What archive formats can Windows 11 create natively?

Windows 11 can natively create ZIP, TAR, and 7z archive files using File Explorer. The feature was expanded in version 24H2, which added support for creating TAR and 7z archives. Users can also configure compression methods and levels through a built-in compression wizard.

Does Windows 11 support extracting RAR and 7z files?

Yes. Windows 11 can open and extract several archive formats, including RAR, TAR, ZIP, and 7z. This capability was introduced in version 23H2, and subsequent improvements expanded archive support by integrating with the libarchive project, enabling extraction without third-party tools.

What is the difference between ZIP, TAR, and 7z archives on Windows 11?

ZIP, TAR, and 7z are different compression formats supported by Windows 11. ZIP is widely compatible and commonly used. TAR is typically used on Unix and Linux systems and often combined with compression methods like Gzip. 7z generally offers higher compression ratios and more advanced compression algorithms.

Should you use 7z or ZIP for file compression on Windows 11?

Use 7z when you want smaller archive sizes and better compression efficiency. Use ZIP when compatibility matters, since ZIP files are universally supported across operating systems and applications. Windows 11 lets you create both formats directly in File Explorer and customize compression levels.

Why can’t I password-protect ZIP or 7z files in Windows 11?

Windows 11’s built-in archive tools do not support password protection or encryption when creating or extracting archives. While you can choose compression methods and levels, security features are not included. To create encrypted archives, you must use third-party utilities such as 7‑Zip.

Can Windows 11 create compressed files using the Command Prompt or PowerShell?

Yes, but only for certain formats. Windows 11 includes the tar.exe command-line tool, which lets you create TAR archives from the Command Prompt or PowerShell. You can also create ZIP files with the Compress-Archive PowerShell command. However, Windows does not include a built-in command-line tool for creating 7z archives, so this requires third-party software such as 7-Zip.

Does creating a 7z or TAR archive reduce file size more than ZIP?

Often, yes. The 7z format typically achieves better compression ratios than ZIP, especially when using algorithms like LZMA2. TAR itself does not compress files by default because it mainly bundles them together, but when combined with compression methods such as Gzip or xz (for example .tar.gz), it can reduce file sizes significantly.

Can Windows 11 open encrypted or password-protected archive files?

Not always. Windows 11 can open and extract many archive formats, including ZIP, TAR, RAR, and 7z, but encrypted or password-protected archives are generally not supported by the built-in tools. If a file requires a password, you will typically need a third-party utility such as 7-Zip or WinRAR to access the contents.