Long file path issues in Windows 11 Pro with Microsoft VS Code and File Explorer

I found that I can paste files from the clipboard into deep folders in explorer. But, there's a limit how deep explorer can go.

While testing I found a limit at about 18K bytes. I made a deep folder 200 deep where each folder was 100 bytes. Once you get to about 18,195 bytes in, Explorer refuses to enter that folder. I tried right clicking on the folder and selected "copy as path" here's what I got:

"\?\D:\longpath\o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o1234_ThisIs100bytes\o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o1234_ThisIs200bytes\o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o1234_ThisIs300bytes\o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o1234_ThisIs400bytes\o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o1234_ThisIs500bytes\o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o1234_ThisIs600bytes\o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o1234_ThisIs700bytes\o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o1234_ThisIs800bytes\o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o1234_ThisIs900bytes\o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123_ThisIs1000bytes\o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123_ThisIs1100bytes\o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123_ThisIs1200bytes\o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123_ThisIs1300bytes\o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123_ThisIs1400bytes\o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123_ThisIs1500bytes\o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123_ThisIs1600bytes\o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123_ThisIs1700bytes\o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123_ThisIs1800bytes\o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123_ThisIs1900bytes\o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123_ThisIs2000bytes\o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123_ThisIs2100bytes\o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123_ThisIs2200bytes\o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123_ThisIs2300bytes\o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123_ThisIs2400bytes\o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123_ThisIs2500bytes\o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123_ThisIs2600bytes\o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123_ThisIs2700bytes\o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123_ThisIs2800bytes\o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123_ThisIs2900bytes\o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123_ThisIs3000bytes\o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123_ThisIs3100bytes\o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123_ThisIs3200bytes\o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123_ThisIs3300bytes\o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123_ThisIs3400bytes\o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123_ThisIs3500bytes\o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123_ThisIs3600bytes\o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123_ThisIs3700bytes\o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123_ThisIs3800bytes\o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123_ThisIs3900bytes\o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123_ThisIs4000bytes\o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123_ThisIs4100bytes\o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123_ThisIs4200bytes\o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123_ThisIs4300bytes\o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123_ThisIs4400bytes\o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123_ThisIs4500bytes\o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123_ThisIs4600bytes\o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123_ThisIs4700bytes\o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123_ThisIs4800bytes\o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123_ThisIs4900bytes\o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123_ThisIs5000bytes\o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123_ThisIs5100bytes\o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123_ThisIs5200bytes\o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123_ThisIs5300bytes\o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123_ThisIs5400bytes\o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123_ThisIs5500bytes\o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123_ThisIs5600bytes\o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123_ThisIs5700bytes\o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123_ThisIs5800bytes\o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123_ThisIs5900bytes\o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123_ThisIs6000bytes\o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123_ThisIs6100bytes\o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123_ThisIs6200bytes\o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123_ThisIs6300bytes\o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123_ThisIs6400bytes\o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123_ThisIs6500bytes\o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123_ThisIs6600bytes\o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123_ThisIs6700bytes\o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123_ThisIs6800bytes\o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123_ThisIs6900bytes\o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123_ThisIs7000bytes\o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123_ThisIs7100bytes\o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123_ThisIs7200bytes\o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123_ThisIs7300bytes\o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123_ThisIs7400bytes\o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123_ThisIs7500bytes\o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123_ThisIs7600bytes\o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123_ThisIs7700bytes\o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123_ThisIs7800bytes\o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123_ThisIs7900bytes\o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123_ThisIs8000bytes\o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123_ThisIs8100bytes\o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123_ThisIs8200bytes\o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123_ThisIs8300bytes\o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123_ThisIs8400bytes\o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123_ThisIs8500bytes\o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123_ThisIs8600bytes\o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123_ThisIs8700bytes\o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123_ThisIs8800bytes\o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123_ThisIs8900bytes\o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123_ThisIs9000bytes\o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123_ThisIs9100bytes\o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123_ThisIs9200bytes\o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123_ThisIs9300bytes\o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123_ThisIs9400bytes\o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123_ThisIs9500bytes\o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123_ThisIs9600bytes\o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123_ThisIs9700bytes\o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123_ThisIs9800bytes\o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123_ThisIs9900bytes\o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o12_ThisIs10000bytes\o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o12_ThisIs10200bytes\o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o12_ThisIs10300bytes\o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o12_ThisIs10400bytes\o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o12_ThisIs10500bytes\o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o12_ThisIs10600bytes\o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o12_ThisIs10700bytes\o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o12_ThisIs10800bytes\o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o12_ThisIs10900bytes\o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o12_ThisIs11000bytes\o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o12_ThisIs11100bytes\o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o12_ThisIs11200bytes\o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o12_ThisIs11300bytes\o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o12_ThisIs11400bytes\o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o12_ThisIs11500bytes\o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o12_ThisIs11600bytes\o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o12_ThisIs11700bytes\o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o12_ThisIs11800bytes\o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o12_ThisIs11900bytes\o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o12_ThisIs12000bytes\o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o12_ThisIs12100bytes\o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o12_ThisIs12200bytes\o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o12_ThisIs12300bytes\o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o12_ThisIs12400bytes\o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o12_ThisIs12500bytes\o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o12_ThisIs12600bytes\o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o12_ThisIs12700bytes\o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o12_ThisIs12800bytes\o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o12_ThisIs12900bytes\o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o12_ThisIs13000bytes\o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o12_ThisIs13100bytes\o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o12_ThisIs13200bytes\o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o12_ThisIs13300bytes\o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o12_ThisIs13400bytes\o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o12_ThisIs13500bytes\o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o12_ThisIs13600bytes\o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o12_ThisIs13700bytes\o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o12_ThisIs13800bytes\o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o12_ThisIs13900bytes\o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o12_ThisIs14000bytes\o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o12_ThisIs14100bytes\o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o12_ThisIs14200bytes\o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o12_ThisIs14300bytes\o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o12_ThisIs14400bytes\o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o12_ThisIs14500bytes\o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o12_ThisIs14600bytes\o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o12_ThisIs14700bytes\o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o12_ThisIs14800bytes\o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o123456789o12_ThisIs14900bytes\o123456789o123456789o123456789o12345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I'm surprised by the odd limit. UNC names are supposed to support up to 32K. I was making a test for my internal tool for deep file manipulation and couldn't navigate there via explorer. The other fun thing about using these deep folders is that you cannot specify these files, by name directly, on the command line because the command line buffer is limited to 8K. Needless to say, don't make paths more than 8K long unless you're writing custom software to deal with them.

Also, if you navigate that deep on the command line, you cannot run any EXEs from that deep because the current working folder needs to be much less than 8K. This might explain why explorer is has issues with long paths, since windows itself has issues with deep current working folders. It'll be interesting if they fix windows so explorer can do its job properly.

and File Explorer could navigate, add, delete, etc past the 300 character mark.

File Explorer in Windows 10 and Windows 11 has always been able to navigate a long path, regardless of the LongPathsEnabled setting. But, AFAIK, it has never been able to edit a long path.

Just to confirm, I ran a test on 23H2 Build 22631.2361.

With LongPathsEnabled set to 0 I get an error (as expected) when trying to CD to a path that exceeds 260 characters:

With LongPathsEnabled set to 1 I am able to CD to the bottom of the long path (it's greater than 600 characters). This proves that my LongPathsEnabled setting is valid and effective for applications, such as Cmd, that support it.

Now let's try File Explorer...

I can navigate a long path:

But if I try to create a folder at the end of that long path, I will always get this error:

But you stated that Explorer, on your computer, can be used to add or delete a long path. Can you please check that again by trying the same test I did? That is, try to create a folder at the bottom of the long path folder tree.

Thanks.

Sua resposta é mais correta que a do "12 Prêmios inúteis de MVP" que não sabe responder e manda o usuário para um novo tópico, devem ganhar "Prêmios" por dar as resposta "Mais Vazias Possíveis" ou pelo número de postagens totalmente inúteis...

Voltando ao que interessa, também estou com o mesmo problema, tanto as configurações de registro, quanto as de política não funcionam nas compilações 22621.1900, 22621.2213 e nem na 22621.2215...

Mas Microsoft é microsoft mesmo, começa algo, contrata um bando de incompetente e depois "lança" algo com uma "Capa nova" e o interior cheio de buracos, é só ver o gerenciador de dispositivos e de discos é quase o mesmo do windows 98... Inovação não tem o nome microsoft, só inovam na capa...

had the same issue recently and robocopy did the job well. it's a command that you can run in cmd that will copy even the most deeply nested files.

setting the DWORD registry key is a trap. It'll put your machine into a bad state if you're running win11.

The correct way to enable long path support on windows 11 is to only use the GPEDIT technique.

I suggest resetting both back to default. reboot. Then try the GPEDIT technique.

The GPEDIT method will change the DWORD in the registry to a non-zero value. I suspect there's other housekeeping GPEDIT does for the modification and I guess it skips it if the DWORD is already set.