How to Stop Windows 11 from Opening ZIP Folders Automatically

Method 1The Quick Fix Using the Extraction Wizard

The Extraction Wizard (the built-in tool that unpacks compressed files) has a checkbox that controls whether the extracted folder opens when it finishes. Clear it once and Windows remembers the choice for future extractions. This is the quickest method, and it needs no administrator rights and works on both Home and Pro editions.

1. Find any .zip file on your computer and right-click it.
2. Choose Extract All… from the menu. In Windows 11 this option appears in the main right-click menu 🖱️. You can also select the file and click Extract all on the File Explorer 📁 toolbar. The Extract Compressed (Zipped) Folders wizard opens.
3. Look at the bottom of the wizard window. You will see a checkbox labeled Show extracted files when complete.
4. Click the checkbox to clear the checkmark. The box should now be empty.
5. Choose your destination folder and click the Extract button as you normally would. The files are extracted, but no new window opens.

To undo this, run Extract All… on any ZIP file again and tick the box. Note that this setting only affects Windows’ built-in ZIP handling. Third-party tools such as 7-Zip or WinRAR have their own options.

If you share your computer with other people, changing the ZIP file behavior on your account will not change how ZIP files behave when other people log in to their own accounts.

Method 2Dive Into the Registry Editor for Deeper Control

The Registry Editor (a database that stores Windows settings ⚙️) lets you set the same option by hand. This is useful if the checkbox is not available to you or you want to see exactly what is being changed. Be aware that the scope depends on the key you edit. If the path in step 3 starts with 🗝️HKEY_CURRENT_USERcopy, the change applies only to the account you are signed in to. Only a path under 🗝️HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINEcopy would affect every user.

1. Press Windows Key + R on your keyboard to open the Run box.
2. Type regedit into the text field and press Enter.
3. If a User Account Control prompt asks whether you want to let the app make changes to your device, click Yes. The Registry Editor window opens with a folder tree on the left.
4. Use the left sidebar to expand the folders until you reach this exact address: HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\ExtractionWizard
5. Check whether a folder named ExtractionWizard exists at the end of that path. If it does, skip to the next step. If it does not, right-click the Explorer folder, select New › Key, and name the new key ExtractionWizard. The new key appears in the tree.
6. Click the ExtractionWizard folder. The right-hand pane shows its values, which may be empty.
7. Right-click the empty space in the right-hand pane and choose New › DWORD (32-bit) Value.
8. Name the new value exactly ShowExtractedFiles and press Enter. Spelling and capitalization matter.
9. Double-click your newly created ShowExtractedFiles value to open its settings box. Make sure Base is set to Hexadecimal, then type 0 into the Value data box to turn off the pop-up window. If you ever want to turn it back on, change this value to 1.
10. Click OK and close the Registry Editor.
11. Apply the change by restarting your computer. Alternatively, press Ctrl + Shift + Esc to open Task Manager, find Windows Explorer on the Processes tab, right-click it, and choose Restart. The taskbar disappears for a moment and then returns.

Warning: Always be careful when changing things in the Registry. Deleting or changing the wrong keys by accident can cause system problems. Follow the path and values listed above carefully. If you want a safety net, in the Registry Editor use File › Export to save a backup of the key before you edit it.

Method 3Automate the Change With PowerShell

PowerShell (a command-line shell used for system administration) can make the same change with two short commands. This is handy if you need to repeat the fix on several PCs without clicking through menus. The commands below write to the HKCU hive, so they change the setting for the user who runs them.

1. Click your Start button and type PowerShell.
2. Select Run as administrator so the tool has the permissions it needs. (Requires administrator privileges) If a User Account Control prompt appears, click Yes. A blue PowerShell window opens.
3. To turn off the automatic pop-up window completely, copy and paste this command into the window and press Enter. The first line creates the key if it is missing, and the second sets the value:

   💻Code

   Copy

   New-Item -Path "HKCU:\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\ExtractionWizard" -Force
   Set-ItemProperty -Path "HKCU:\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\ExtractionWizard" -Name "ShowExtractedFiles" -Value 0

4. If you ever need to change it back and turn the pop-up window on again, run this command instead:

   ⬛PowerShell

   Copy

   Set-ItemProperty -Path "HKCU:\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\ExtractionWizard" -Name "ShowExtractedFiles" -Value 1

One caution: because these commands write to HKCU, they affect whichever account runs them. If you elevate with a different administrator account than the one you normally use, the change lands in that account's settings, not yours.

This makes sure every work laptop or shared computer behaves the same way without requiring manual setup from users. Because the setting is per-user, run the script in the user's context, such as a logon script, rather than as the SYSTEM account.

Summary

You can stop Windows 11 from opening ZIP folders automatically with the built-in Extraction Wizard, the Registry Editor, or PowerShell. Use the wizard for a quick fix on your own PC. Use the registry when you want to see or control the exact setting. Use PowerShell to repeat the change across multiple computers. Each method can be reversed, either by ticking the checkbox again or by setting the value back to 1.