Why Can't I Find My File on Windows?
You may experience an error locating your email validationⓘ results file if the file name is too long. The reason for this is that Microsoft Windows caps the file name and path character limit to 260 characters. Because you're accessing another file within the zip file, the complete file name may exceed this limit.
How can I access my file on Windows?
There are numerous ways to work around the file access issue on Windows.
- Method 1 - Copy or download the results file to your device's root directory. Then, try accessing the file once more.
- Method 2 - Extract the zipped folders to a folder and path with a shorter name that doesn't exceed the 260-character limit.
- Method 3 - Modify your device's registry to accept file paths over 260 characters. Be aware that this is an advanced process and shouldn't be attempted unless you're comfortable making changes to your device.
If none of these methods work, or if you're uncomfortable/uncertain about making changes, you can contact ZeroBounce support. The team can modify your results file name to ensure it meets the 260-character requirement when downloaded.
Additional issues with long file path names
Be aware that even if you update your device's registry to allow for more than 260 characters, other software you might use can still impose this limit. This creates a scenario where Windows will let you download and store the file on your drive, but you'll still have issues opening the file with whichever software you use.
Microsoft Office 365 products like Excel or Word also have restrictions on file path names, whereas the Google product suite doesn't.
Best practices for file path names
It's ultimately beneficial to use best practices when naming and storing files. To avoid having issues accessing your files with ZeroBounce or any other software, commit to these rules:
- Only include terms or numbers that are necessary
- Ensure those terms are easily understood
- Avoid abbreviations that aren't universally understood
- Avoid repetition and redundant terms
- Avoid unnecessary steps in the path (extraneous folders)
- Eliminate spaces (unless necessary) as well as special characters
By using these best practices for file names, you'll encounter fewer issues with finding files. You'll rarely exceed the Windows character limit, and your files will be far more organized and accessible.
Related Articles
Why Is My File Taking So Long to Process?
Why do I need a password to open my processed file?
How do I get a password to decrypt my file?
Why is my Overview PDF report blank?
Why are some emails missing append features?
Why do I get the error “unable to expand” with Archive Utility?
Where can I get software to open the CSV file?