Native .RAR support rolls out to more Windows 11 Insiders

Beta Channel Insiders can now use .RAR and other archive file formats natively on Windows 11.

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What you need to know

Two Windows 11 Insider builds made their way to the Beta Channel this week. Build 22631.2199 has new features turned on, while Build 22621.2199 has them off. The update brings many changes, but the most notable is native support for a long list of archive file formats. This is the debut of native .RAR support in the Beta Channel, and the same functionality will make its way to general users later this year.

WinRAR, which popularized the .RAR format,shared a memeafter Microsoft announced its plans to support .RAR. The addition is now well-into testing on Windows 11.

In addition to adding support for archive file formats, the latest Beta Channel Insider build improves the cast experience and has several other improvements, many of which it shares with themost recent Dev Channel build. Microsoft outlined all of them in ablog post.

Build 22631.2199: What’s new

Asannounced at the Build conference back in May, this build adds native support for reading additional archive file formats using thelibarchive open-source projectsuch as:

Build 22631.2199: Changes & Improvements

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Sean Endicott is a tech journalist at Windows Central, specializing in Windows, Microsoft software, AI, and PCs. He’s covered major launches, from Windows 10 and 11 to the rise of AI tools like ChatGPT. Sean’s journey began with the Lumia 740, leading to strong ties with app developers. Outside writing, he coaches American football, utilizing Microsoft services to manage his team. He studied broadcast journalism at Nottingham Trent University and is active on X @SeanEndicott_ and Threads @sean_endicott_.