Restore Missing “Extract All” Option to Zip Right-Click Menu

Ramesh

6 years ago

When you right-click on a .zip file (Compressed Folder) and click “Extract All”, it extracts the contents of the .zip file to a folder, and automatically opens the folder. Extract All option may be missing because of incorrect .zip file association setting, especially after installing and uninstalling a 3rd party archive utility.

This article tells you how to get back the Extract All option to the right-click menu for Zip files.

Restore missing “Extract All” Context menu option

To restore “Extract All” to the .zip files right-click menu, follow these steps:

Download add_extract_all_context_menu.reg by right-clicking on the link and choosing “Save link as”, “Save Target as” or a similar option in your browser.
Run the file add_extract_all_context_menu.reg by double-clicking on it.
Click Yes when asked for confirmation.

This restores Extract All to the context menu.

What does the .reg file contain?

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\.zip]
@="CompressedFolder"

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CompressedFolder\ShellEx\ContextMenuHandlers\{b8cdcb65-b1bf-4b42-9428-1dfdb7ee92af}]
@="Compressed (zipped) Folder Menu"

[-HKEY_CURRENT_USER\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\FileExts\.zip]

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\FileExts\.zip\OpenWithProgids]
"CompressedFolder"=hex(0):

The registry file can be used in Windows 7, 8, 8.1, and Windows 10.

Fix the Zip button in the File Explorer ribbon

To fix the Zip command in the File Explorer ribbon if it’s not working or appears grayed out, follow these instructions:

In Windows 10:

Open Settings → Default apps → Set defaults by app
Select File Explorer → Manage
Associate EXPLORER.ZIPSELECTION with Windows Explorer.

In Windows 8 & earlier:

Open the classic Control Panel → Default Programs → Set your default programs.

Alternatively, you can execute the following command from the Run dialog (Win + R) to launch Default Programs.

control /name Microsoft.DefaultPrograms

Select File Explorer from the list, and click Set this program as default.

That fixes the Zip button (“Explorer.ZipSelection” command) in the File Explorer ribbon.