file explorer long path enable

Question

When attempting to utilize long file path names, I am unable to do so while using a program called "Box". I have ensured that long path is enabled in the registry editor, and also that the group policy allows long path names however, when trying to access a file that is too deep/long, file explorer still crashes. Box supports states;

"The reason that you are continuing to run into issues here is because when you enable the LongPathsEnabled setting, that by itself does not give any application the ability to receive long file paths from the Windows system.

The app developer (meaning Office, Adobe, or any application that runs on Windows devices) must update and test the app so that it doesn't internally crash or run into bugs with long paths. Then, the developer must tell Windows that the app is ready for long paths by using a longPathAware field in their "application manifest" which is a piece of data embedded within the app that tells Windows about certain application features.

This means that even if the setting is enabled on the computer, long paths are not guaranteed to work and in fact are unlikely to. For additional support on this issue, you will need to speak to the developer of the app that you are trying to use to open the file or folder."

Can you help me enable long file paths within the file explorer?

Answer 1

Hello Christopher Pollnow,

Have your issues been solved? If it has, please hit ACCEPT THE ANSWER to support me. If it hasn't, please update more about your problems' detail so that I can help you.

Thank you so much!!!

QQ.

Answer 2

Hello Christopher Pollnow ,

Thank you for your message. You've correctly enabled the LongPathsEnabled registry setting and configured Group Policy to support long paths. However, as Box support noted, this setting alone does not guarantee compatibility across all applications.

To ensure long paths work in File Explorer, please confirm the following:

1. Your system is running Windows 10 version 1607 or later, where long path support is available.
2. The registry key LongPathsEnabled is set to 1 under HKLM\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\FileSystem.
3. Group Policy setting “Enable Win32 long paths” is set to Enabled under Computer Configuration > Administrative Templates > System > Filesystem.
4. Restart the system after applying these changes to ensure they take effect.

Please note that File Explorer itself has legacy limitations and may still encounter issues with paths exceeding 260 characters. For deep folder structures, consider using PowerShell or robocopy for file operations.

If this resolves your issue, feel free to click “Accept Answer” so others can benefit too.

Thank you so much!!!

Best regards,

QQ.

Answer 3

To enable long file paths in Windows, you need to ensure that both the registry setting and the application manifest are configured correctly. Here’s how to do it:

1. Registry Setting: You mentioned that you have already enabled the LongPathsEnabled setting in the registry editor. Just to confirm, the registry value should be set as follows:
   • Path: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\FileSystem
   • Value Name: LongPathsEnabled
   • Value Type: REG_DWORD
   • Value Data: 1
2. Application Manifest: The application you are using (in this case, Box) must also declare that it supports long paths. This is done by including the longPathAware element in its application manifest. If the application developer has not updated their application to include this element, then even with the registry setting enabled, the application may still crash when handling long paths.
3. Reboot: After making changes to the registry, a reboot may be required for all applications to recognize the new setting.

If you have already done these steps and are still facing issues, it is likely that the application you are using has not been updated to support long paths. You may need to reach out to the application developer for further assistance.

---

References:

• Maximum Path Length Limitation
• Understand path lengths in Azure NetApp Files
• Naming Files, Paths, and Namespaces
• Policy CSP - ADMX_FileSys
• File path formats on Windows systems