How to Enable or Disable NTFS File Compression in Windows
Windows supports compression for individual files and folders on NTFS volumes using NTFS compression.
While NTFS file system compression can save disk space, compressing data can adversely affect performance. NTFS compression has the following performance characteristics. When you copy or move a compressed NTFS file to a different folder, NTFS decompresses the file, copies or moves the file to the new location, and then recompresses the file. This behavior occurs even when the file is copied or moved between folders on the same computer. Compressed files are also expanded before copying over the network, so NTFS compression does not save network bandwidth.
Files or folders saved into an existing compressed folder will automatically be compressed.
This tutorial will show you how to enable or disable NTFS file compression for all users in Windows 7, Windows 8, and Windows 10.
You must be signed in as an administrator to enable or disable NTFS file compression.
If you disable NTFS file compression, any currently compressed files will still remain compressed. You will also still be able to uncompress any currently compressed files, but you will not be able to compress them again until NTFS compression is enabled.
Contents
- Option One: Enable or Disable NTFS File Compression in Command Prompt
- Option Two: Enable or Disable NTFS File Compression in Local Group Policy Editor
- Option Three: Enable or Disable NTFS File Compression using a REG file
EXAMPLE: NTFS file compression disabled
For more fsutil behavior command usage details, see: Fsutil behavior | Microsoft Docs
1 Open an elevated command prompt.
2 Copy and paste the command below you want into the elevated command prompt, and press Enter.
(Enable NTFS file compression - default)
fsutil behavior set disablecompression 0
OR
(Disable NTFS file compression)
fsutil behavior set disablecompression 1
3 Close the elevated command prompt.
4 Restart the computer to apply.
The Local Group Policy Editor is only available in the Windows 7/8/10 Pro, Windows 7/8/10 Enterprise, and Windows 10 Education editions.
All editions can use Option Three below.
1 Open the Local Group Policy Editor.
2 In the left pane of Local Group Policy Editor, navigate to the location below. (see screenshot below)
Computer Configuration\Administrative Templates\System\Filesystem\NTFS
3 In the right pane of NTFS in Local Group Policy Editor, double click/tap on the Do not allow compression on all NTFS volumes policy to edit it. (see screenshot above)
4 Do step 5 (enable) or step 6 (disable) below for what you would like to do.
A) Select (dot) Not Configured or Disabled, click/tap on OK, and go to step 7 below. (see screenshot below)
Not Configured is the default setting.
7 When finished, close the Local Group Policy Editor.
8 Restart the computer to apply.
The downloadable .reg files below will add and modify the DWORD value in the registry key below.
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Policies
NtfsDisableCompression DWORD
(delete) = Enable
1 = Disable
1 Do step 2 (enable) or step 3 (disable) below for what you would like to do.
This is the default setting.
A) Click/tap on the Download button below to download the file below, and go to step 4 below.
Enable_NTFS_file_compression.reg
Download
A) Click/tap on the Download button below to download the file below, and go to step 4 below.
Disable_NTFS_file_compression.reg
Download
4 Save the .reg file to your desktop.
5 Double click/tap on the downloaded .reg file to merge it.
6 When prompted, click/tap on Run, Yes (UAC), Yes, and OK to approve the merge.
7 Restart the computer to apply.
8 You can now delete the downloaded .reg file if you like.
That's it,
Shawn
Related Tutorials
- How to Compress or Uncompress Files and Folders in Windows 10
- Change or Remove Double Blue Arrows Icon on Compressed Files and Folders in Windows 10
- Turn On or Off Show Encrypted or Compressed NTFS files in Color in Windows 10
- How to Find and List Compressed Files and Folders in Windows 10