Tag Archives: Windows Explorer

The File Name is Too Long Windows Explorer

Update 7/5/2017: Thanks to all my wonderful readers. Before trying the method below, you should try the Long Path Tool which can be downloaded here. If you would rather fix the error using the manual method check below. Thanks 

Problem: Customer tried to open a Word document and a PDF file he had created a while ago. Windows Explorer gave the an error, “file name is too long” when he tried to open his document.File Name is too Long - Windows Explorer

After a little digging around I found a solution to this problem. Windows 7 has a 256-260 character file/path limit. The file didn’t have a longer name than 256 characters, but the file was buried underneath many folders with big names.  I tried to right-click the file and select rename but I didn’t have that option. I couldn’t copy or cut the file to another location.

Resolution: Go one folder above where your document is stored. Rename that folder to something shorter (ex. name it one ). This should allow you to open the Word document now. Now change the Word file to a shorter name. Change the folder back to the original name. Check if you can still open your Word file. If you can still open the file, then you’re good! If you can’t open the file yet, move the folder to another location.

If you want to keep the file name of the document and the folder the same you should store the Word file in another location perhaps to your desktop or make a separate folder for the file.

Summary: In my situation, the customer had too many levels of folders with long names and spaces. The Word and PDF file he was trying to open had a big file name as well. Windows Explorer couldn’t handle long folder names and paths it gave the error, “file name is too long”.

Let me know if this helped you out by posting in the comments.

Source: WordBanter

This was posted by techspeeder.