Restore Missing “Compressed (zip) Folder” Option in Windows 10

I had a problem with Microsoft Windows 10 where the “Compressed (zip) Folder” option was missing from the “Send to” menu. Luckily I knew how to bring it back.

Fix 1 – Clear Corrupted Bluetooth Entry

For many Windows 10 users, this seems to be the fix:

1. Right-click the “Start” button and open “File Explorer“.
2. Select the “View” menu and check “Hidden Items” to show hidden files and folders.
3. Navigate to “This PC” > “OS C:” > “Users” > “yourusername” > “AppData” > “Roaming” > “Microsoft” > “Windows” > “SendTo“
4. Delete “Bluetooth” with 0KB.

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Fix 2 – Restore Default Registry Settings

A plethora of different registry keys need to exist for the “Compressed (zip) Folder” option to appear in Windows. If any one of them become corrupt, the option may not appear. To restore these registry settings, follow these steps.

Note: Ensure you have a backup of your registry before performing these steps. Use this fix at your own risk. I am not responsible for anything that happens to your system.

1. Download this compress.reg.txt file. (You may have to right-click the link, then choose “Save as”.)
2. Rename the file by right-clicking it, then selecting “Rename“.
3. Remove the “.txt” extension, then press “Enter” to save. It should be renamed “compress.reg“.
4. Double-click the file. If prompted by UAC, select “Yes“.
5. You will be prompted to import changes into the Registry. Select “Yes“.
6. Restart the computer.

Hopefully after restarting your computer, you can right-click any file and select “Send to” > Compressed (zip) Folder” with ease. Please share your experience in the Comments section.