New WinRAR update comes with lots of Windows changes

Jan 24, 2022 22:56 GMT  ·  By

WinRAR has just received a new major update, and this time, Windows users are getting lots (and when I say lots, I totally mean it) of changes.

First and foremost, the update to WinRAR 6.10 includes full support for the Windows 11 context menu.

The developing team explains that due to the changes that Microsoft implemented in its new operating system, apps can only use a single top-level command or submenu in the context menu available in File Explorer. This is why WinRAR had to adapt.

“If "Cascaded context menus" in "Integration settings" dialog is on, this single item is a submenu storing all necessary WinRAR commands. If this option is off, only one extraction command for archives and one archiving command for usual files are available. You can select these commands with "Context menu items..." button in "Integration settings" dialog,’ the changelog reveals.

Goodbye, Windows XP!

What you need to know is that the legacy context menus offered by WinRAR (the ones which let you work with archives much more seamlessly) continue to be available under “Show more options” in File Explorer only in some cases.

“Legacy context menus option in "Settings/Integration" dialog can be used in Windows 11 if WinRAR commands are missing in "Show more options" Windows legacy context menu or in context menus of third party file managers. If WinRAR commands are already present here, keep "Legacy context menus" option turned off to prevent duplicating them. This option is not available in Windows 10 and older,” the parent company explains.

With this new update, WinRAR also drops the support for Windows XP, the operating system released back in 2001 and which Microsoft also abandoned back in April 2014. Windows Vista is now the oldest operating system where the latest version of WinRAR can be installed.