The file path is too long when I download

Fixing "The File Path is Too Long" Error on Windows

If the file path is too long or you get an error when opening the download, it’s because Windows has a limit on file path length. By default, Windows only allows paths up to 256 characters long.

If you choose Download All and select the option to automatically shorten the file names, that should fix the issue. If it doesn’t, try opening the download from a folder closer to the root (like C:). You can also use a tool like 7zip (https://www.7-zip.org/) to open the files.

Solution 1: Opening the download closer to the root file

If you get the error "The file path is too long" when trying to open a downloaded file, it means that the location where the file is saved has too many folders in its path. To fix this, try moving the file closer to the main folder on your computer (like your desktop or C: drive). This shortens the path and should allow the file to open without any issues.

Steps:

Right-click on the file you want to open.
Select Cut.
Go to your Desktop or another folder close to the main drive (C:).
Right-click and choose Paste.
Try opening the file again.

Tip: You can learn more about file path length limits on Microsoft's support page.

Solution 2: Opening the download with a service like 7zip

Further information on Extracting .Zip files in Windows by opening closer to the root file:

Save the downloaded .zip file to the hard drive.
Right click on the file and select extract all. This will open the extraction wizard.
Click Next and then select the location to extract the files to. (This example uses Program Files on C drive.)
Choose the option to Make a new folder. (Most make the folder name “http://IDAutomation.com [FONT NAME]“)
Click Ok. The directory should now point to “C:\Program Files\http://IDAutomation.com [FONT NAME].”
Click Next to begin the extraction process.
Make sure that the Show Extracted Files option is checked.
Click Finish when complete.

The Admin can also rename folders and files to make the file paths shorter. To see which files are affected, go to the Home folder and click “Expand All.” Folders with problems will have red triangles next to them. Start by renaming the folder, then rename the files inside until the red triangles disappear.

If you need further assistance with this error, have questions about managing file paths, or encounter other download issues, please don't hesitate to reach out to our support team via in-platform chat or email at support@dealroom.net. We're here to help.

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Updated on: 23/07/2025

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