From time to time, file associations get broken. This could be the result of malware, “bit slippage”, uninstall of an associated program, or even some inadvertent change of settings. Here is how to fix a broken ZIP file association.
This actually occured after uninstalling WinRAR, but could happen no matter which archive handling program you use.
How do you know you have the problem? You double click a ZIP file, and Windows asks how you want to open the file. The good news is fixing it is pretty simple.
- Copy the following text, paste it into notepad. Note: watch for line wrap below!
- Save the file with a .REG extension.
- Locate the file on disk, and double click it.
- When Windows asks if you want to import the file, click the affirmative option.
Your file association with ZIP files should now be fixed. If not, reboot, and you should be good. Told you it was easy.
Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00
[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\.ZIP]
"PerceivedType"="compressed"
"Content Type"="application/x-zip-compressed"
@="CompressedFolder"
[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\.ZIP\CompressedFolder\ShellNew]
"Data"=hex:50,4b,05,06,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00
"ItemName"=hex(2):40,00,25,00,53,00,79,00,73,00,74,00,65,00,6d,00,52,00,6f,00,\
6f,00,74,00,25,00,5c,00,73,00,79,00,73,00,74,00,65,00,6d,00,33,00,32,00,5c,\
00,7a,00,69,00,70,00,66,00,6c,00,64,00,72,00,2e,00,64,00,6c,00,6c,00,2c,00,\
2d,00,31,00,30,00,31,00,39,00,34,00,00,00
[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\.ZIP\OpenWithProgids]
"CompressedFolder"=""
[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\.ZIP\PersistentHandler]
@="{098f2470-bae0-11cd-b579-08002b30bfeb}"
[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CompressedFolder]
@="Compressed (zipped) Folder"
"FriendlyTypeName"=hex(2):40,00,25,00,53,00,79,00,73,00,74,00,65,00,6d,00,52,\
00,6f,00,6f,00,74,00,25,00,5c,00,73,00,79,00,73,00,74,00,65,00,6d,00,33,00,\
32,00,5c,00,7a,00,69,00,70,00,66,00,6c,00,64,00,72,00,2e,00,64,00,6c,00,6c,\
00,2c,00,2d,00,31,00,30,00,31,00,39,00,35,00,00,00
[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CompressedFolder\CLSID]
@="{E88DCCE0-B7B3-11d1-A9F0-00AA0060FA31}"
[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CompressedFolder\DefaultIcon]
@=hex(2):25,00,53,00,79,00,73,00,74,00,65,00,6d,00,52,00,6f,00,6f,00,74,00,25,\
00,5c,00,73,00,79,00,73,00,74,00,65,00,6d,00,33,00,32,00,5c,00,7a,00,69,00,\
70,00,66,00,6c,00,64,00,72,00,2e,00,64,00,6c,00,6c,00,00,00
[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CompressedFolder\shell\find]
"LegacyDisable"=""
"SuppressionPolicy"=dword:00000080
[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CompressedFolder\shell\find\command]
@=hex(2):25,00,53,00,79,00,73,00,74,00,65,00,6d,00,52,00,6f,00,6f,00,74,00,25,\
00,5c,00,45,00,78,00,70,00,6c,00,6f,00,72,00,65,00,72,00,2e,00,65,00,78,00,\
65,00,00,00
"DelegateExecute"="{a015411a-f97d-4ef3-8425-8a38d022aebc}"
[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CompressedFolder\shell\Open]
"MultiSelectModel"="Document"
[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CompressedFolder\shell\Open\Command]
@=hex(2):25,00,53,00,79,00,73,00,74,00,65,00,6d,00,52,00,6f,00,6f,00,74,00,25,\
00,5c,00,45,00,78,00,70,00,6c,00,6f,00,72,00,65,00,72,00,2e,00,65,00,78,00,\
65,00,20,00,2f,00,69,00,64,00,6c,00,69,00,73,00,74,00,2c,00,25,00,49,00,2c,\
00,25,00,4c,00,00,00
"DelegateExecute"="{11dbb47c-a525-400b-9e80-a54615a090c0}"
[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CompressedFolder\ShellEx\ContextMenuHandlers\{b8cdcb65-b1bf-4b42-9428-1dfdb7ee92af}]
@="Compressed (zipped) Folder Menu"
[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CompressedFolder\ShellEx\DropHandler]
@="{ed9d80b9-d157-457b-9192-0e7280313bf0}"
[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CompressedFolder\ShellEx\StorageHandler]
@="{E88DCCE0-B7B3-11d1-A9F0-00AA0060FA31}"
[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\SystemFileAssociations\.ZIP\CLSID]
@="{E88DCCE0-B7B3-11d1-A9F0-00AA0060FA31}"
[-HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\FileExts\.ZIP]
[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\FileExts\.ZIP\OpenWithList]
[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\FileExts\.ZIP\OpenWithProgids]
"CompressedFolder"=hex(0):