Windows 11’s file compression feature only works with drives using the NTFS File system and has a few drawbacks. When you copy/move a compressed NTFS file to a different folder or drive, NTFS will decompress the files, copy/move the file to the new location, and then recompress the file again. This extra process will use your CPU and RAM resources, affecting the system’s performance.
How to Enable File Compression on Windows 11
To enable file compression on Windows 11, here’s what you need to do.
1. Open the File Explorer on your PC and navigate to the folder you want to compress.
2. Right-click on the folder and select Properties.
3. Switch to the General tab and click Advanced.
4. Check the option Compress contents to save disk space. Once done, click OK.
5. Select the Apply changes to this folder only option on the next prompt and click Ok.
This will activate the NTFS file compression on your selected folder. You will notice two blue arrows above the folder. These arrows indicate the folder has been compressed.
Compress Drive with NTFS on Windows 11
If you want, you can compress an entire drive with NTFS file compression on Windows 11.
1. Open the File Explorer on your PC. Next, right-click on the drive where you want to enable the NTFS compression and select Properties.
2. Check the option Compress this drive to save disk space.
3. Once done, click Apply.
4. Select Apply changes to this drive only and click OK.
Enable NTFS File Compression via Command Prompt
You can use the Command Prompt utility to enable NTFS file compression.
- Type in Command Prompt in the Windows Search.
- Right-click on the Command Prompt and select Run as administrator.
- Execute this command:
fsutil behavior set disablecompression 0
- You will see the ‘A reboot is required for this change to take effect’ message.
- To disable the File Compression, execute this command:
fsutil behavior set disablecompression 1
Also Read: How to Change Wallpaper in Windows 11 Without Activation
That’s how you can enable file compression in Windows 11. If you have a low-end PC, you can allow the NTFS compression to compress folders or drives you don’t use often. In this way, you will be able to save some disk space.
