Configure WinRAR to delete an archive after extracting it

One of the most important tools we need to have on our computer is WinRAR or at least some other similar file extractor, like WinZip. These compression and extraction applications are essential to have, as they work for us when we want to compress a file in case we want to save memory or upload it to the web. We also need to extract these files, since when we download something on the Internet, it is very common for them to be compressed and therefore we need this program to extract it.

The most popular by far is WinRAR, which is available for Windows or MacOS, the latter usually automatically extracting a compressed file when you download it, so Mac users are less likely to need an extraction application. While WinRAR is still very useful for performing other functions, the main ones are that it allows you to create and extract archives, which you can password protect, and supports a large list of archive formats.

Once a file is extracted by default, it leaves the archive like this and it accumulates with a bunch of zipped files in the download folder. To prevent this from happening and to have better control without deleting them one by one, you can configure WinRAR to automatically delete an archive after extracting it.

Steps to automatically delete files in WinRAR

Right-click on a file and select the "Extract Here" option. Next, the extraction path and options window will open, where by default it shows the window that opens with the "General" tab selected. Now let's select the "Advanced" tab and look for the "Delete files" section.

The Delete Files section has three settings; Never, ask for confirmation, and always. By default 'Never' is selected; Whenever you check out a file, the file itself is never deleted.

If you select "Prompt", it will ask you if you want to delete a file after it has been extracted, but if you select "Always", it will automatically delete a file after it has been extracted. You will not be prompted for confirmation. After selecting the desired settings, go back to the "General" tab and click "Save".

However, when you extract a file, even if you have chosen one of the right-click context menu options, you will be asked if you want to delete the file or just delete it.

WinRAR 3

WinRAR is very useful and easy to use, where we have several options to configure in different ways, also the application is free and we can download it from its main site. In simple steps we were able to do this setup which is worth doing, to minimize our drive as much as possible.

You can use these options if you wish, as it is very useful because sometimes we forget to delete a file that we have already extracted and it accumulates. Always remember to have the original file, when you extract it or if you compress something it is recommended to save the original file. But if you normally send and receive these files in the mail, there is no need to save the file to your hard drive, as you will have the backup in your email.

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