Window should just enable this by default but it doesn't even in windows 11.

TL;DR

Methods

The tutorials in the links below will give you a clearer understanding of how and why to perform this upgrade but this is an overview of the methods I found

1. Registry

   HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\FileSystem

2. PowerShell (to change the registry)

   Set-ItemProperty -Path 'HKLM:\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\FileSystem' -Name LongPathsEnabled -Type DWord -Value 1

3. Group Policy Manager (Windows Pro only)

   Computer Configuration > Administrative Templates > System > Filesystem > Enable Win32 long paths

Notes

• Some legacy apps, in particular Win32 will have issues with long file paths.
• Feature was brought in with Windows 1607
• Not on by default, including in Windows 11
• File explorer in Windows 11 will read long paths correctly but if you are over the 260 character limit it will not allow you to edit or create them (as of Windows 11 24H2)
• Apps have to support long file paths, just enabling the setting is not enough.
• Using a 3rd party file manager will get around the file explorer limit as long as LongPathsEnabled is enabled

Links

• Background
  • Why isn't long paths enabled by default in windows 11. - Microsoft Community - Why isn't long paths enabled by default in windows 11? The 260 character limit has been crippling to the user over the years. It only takes someone to change (lengthen) a folder name further up the path to make access to some file impossible. I know the restriction was removed in Win 10, but only by Registry and Group Policy Mods - This is beyond the average user - so why isn't it enabled by default). Thanks.
  • Why does the 260 character path length limit exist in Windows? - stack Overflow
    • You can enable long path names using PowerShell:

      Set-ItemProperty -Path 'HKLM:\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\FileSystem' -Name LongPathsEnabled -Type DWord -Value 1 

    • You can enable long path names using Group Policy:

      Computer Configuration > Administrative Templates > System > Filesystem > Enable win32 long paths

  • Why did Windows pick 260 characters as the maximum path length? - Retrocomputing Stack Exchange - Why did Microsoft decided to limit paths to 3 characters for drive + 256 characters + 1 character for the terminator?
• Tutorials
  • Maximum Path Length Limitation - Win32 apps | Microsoft Learn - Starting in Windows 10, version 1607, MAX_PATH limitations have been removed from many common Win32 file and directory functions. However, your app must opt-in to support the new behavior.
  • How to Make Windows 10 Accept File Paths Over 260 Characters | How-To Geek - Want a small novel for a file path? We've got you covered.
    • Before Windows 95, file names could only be 8 characters long, but now Windows has a 260 character limit for the full path of a file.
    • The Windows 10 Anniversary Update allowed users to abandon the 260 character limit, but some older 32-bit applications may not support longer paths.
    • Home users can remove the path limit by editing the registry, while Pro and Enterprise users can use the Local Group Policy Editor to disable the limit.
    • The maximum path limit may not be something you've ever run into, but for some people, it can certainly be the occasional frustration. Windows 10 has finally added the ability to remove that limit. You just have to make a quick change to the Registry or Group Policy to make it happen.
    • Download the registry files.
  • Windows 10 Allows File Paths Longer Than 260 Characters (With a Registry Hack) | Lifehacker - Ever since Windows 95, Microsoft has only allowed file paths up to 260 characters (which, to be fair, was much nicer than the 8 character limit previously). Now, with a registry tweak, you can exceed that amount in Windows 10.
  • Maximum Path Length Limitation - Block repositories | Veeam Backup & Replication Best Practice Guide
    • Best practice from the field for Veeam Backup & Replication
    • Regardless of NTFS or ReFS, Windows operating systems used to have a limit of 260 characters as the maximum length of a file’s path name. Although this limitation has been removed in newer versions starting with Windows 10 version 1607, this feature is still disabled by default within the Windows API (see Maximum Path Length Limitation).
    • Veeam is capable of handling long path names, but it needs to be enabled in the OS first. It is recommended to enable the LongPathsEnabled setting on all Windows servers hosting Veeam roles.
    • Refer to the Microsoft documentation for more details on how to change this value via the registry, PowerShell or Group Policy.
• Windows Explorer "does not support long file paaths
  • Use a 3rd party app to overcome this. Obviously this needs to support long file paths
  • STILL no file paths longer than 260 characters in Win Explorer, in 2023? - Super User
    • Your only option would be to use an alternative File Explorer that supports Long Paths. Examples are OneCommander, Total Commander, and 7-Zip. (A nicer option that seems to support it, and can act as a Windows Explorer replacement with a similar layout, but isn't free, is the Files App.)

dddd