How to Make Windows 10 or 11 Accept File Paths Over 260 Characters

If you’ve ever run into the “File Path Too Long” error in Windows, you’re not alone. By default, Windows 10 and 11 limit file paths to 260 characters. This can be a major headache—especially when working with nested folders, complex directory structures, or certain development environments.

Good news: you can fix it. Here’s how to make Windows handle long paths like a pro.

Why This Happens

Windows’ 260-character limit comes from an old design known as MAX_PATH. While modern applications and NTFS can handle longer paths, the default setting still blocks them. You need to manually enable long path support.

Option 1: Enable Long Paths via Group Policy (Windows 10/11 Pro and Enterprise)

If you’re running Windows Pro or Enterprise, the Group Policy Editor is your fastest option.

Step-by-Step:

1. Press Win + R, type gpedit.msc, and press Enter.
2. Navigate to: Local Computer Policy > Computer Configuration > Administrative Templates > System > Filesystem
3. Find and double-click Enable Win32 long paths.
4. Set it to Enabled, then click OK.
5. Reboot your system.

Done. Your system can now handle file paths longer than 260 characters.

Option 2: Tweak the Registry (All Windows Editions)

If you’re on Windows Home, Group Policy Editor isn’t available—but you can still get the job done through the registry.

Here’s how:

1. Press Win + R, type regedit, and press Enter.
2. Navigate to: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\FileSystem
3. Find the entry called LongPathsEnabled.
   • If it doesn’t exist, right-click and create a new DWORD (32-bit) Value named LongPathsEnabled.
4. Double-click it and set its value to 1.
5. Click OK and restart your PC.

That’s it. Long paths are now enabled.

A Few Important Notes

• This setting only helps applications that support long paths. Older apps may still break.
• If you’re syncing files to cloud storage (like OneDrive), you might still hit limits imposed by the cloud service.
• For code projects, consider using shorter directory names or symbolic links if problems persist.

Wrapping Up

Once you flip the switch, Windows can finally stop choking on long file names. Whether you’re working with deep folder structures, large codebases, or massive backups, enabling long path support is a simple fix that removes an annoying legacy limitation.

Got questions? Drop them in the comments—I read every one.