How-To

How to Install a CAB File on Windows 11

By Adam Davidson

Last Updated on November 5, 2022

Do you have a CAB file that you need to extract or install on your Windows computer? Learn how to install a CAB file on Windows 11 in this guide.

If you’re trying to install updates or drivers on Windows 11, you may find that the file you require has a .cab extension. This may be a file type you’ve never come across before. What exactly is it, and how are you supposed to use it?

If you’ve got a CAB file you need to extract or install, we’ve got you covered. Here’s how to install a CAB file on Windows 11.

What is a CAB File?

A CAB file has the extension .cab and is short for Windows Cabinet file. This is a type of compressed file that is often used to compress software installation packages such as device drivers or update files.

CAB files support lossless compression, which makes the format ideal for compressing files where it’s vital that the files can be extracted accurately, such as drivers and other updates.

How to Install a CAB File on Windows 11 with Command Prompt

There are a number of ways to install a CAB file on Windows 11. One such method is to use the Command Prompt to extract and install the files.

You can also use the newer Windows PowerShell or Windows Terminal apps. The commands below will work in both applications.

To install a CAB file on Windows 11 with Command Prompt:

1. Open File Explorer and navigate to the CAB file you want to install.
2. Right-click the file and select Copy As Path.
   
3. Click the Search icon.
   
4. Type CMD in the search field.
   
5. Click Run As Administrator.
   
6. Confirm that you want to allow the app to make changes to your computer.
7. In the Command Prompt window, type dism /Online /Add-Package /Package Path:
   
   
8. Press Ctrl+V to paste the location of your CAB file. Ensure that there is no space after PackagePath.
   
9. Press Enter to start the installation.
   
10. Once completed, you may need to restart your computer for the update to take effect.

How to Extract a CAB File on Windows 11

If you want to install a driver that is packaged in a CAB file, you’ll need to extract the files contained within the CAB file first. This is simple to do on Windows 11—you can extract a CAB file directly from within Windows Explorer.

To extract a CAB file on Windows 11:

1. Navigate to the CAB file in Windows Explorer.
2. Double-click the CAB file.
3. If prompted, select Windows Explorer as your preferred method to open the CAB file.
4. You will see all of the extracted files. Press Ctrl+A to select them all.
   
5. Right-click any of the files and select Extract.
   
6. Select a folder to extract the files to and click Extract.
   
7. The files will now extract to your requested folder.

How to Install a Driver Update from a CAB File on Windows 11

Once you’ve extracted the contents of a CAB file, you can install the driver it contained directly through the Windows Device Manager.

To install a driver through the Device Manager:

1. Click the Search icon.
   
2. Start typing Device Manager and double-click the app when it appears.
   
3. Find the device you want to update the driver for.
4. Right-click it and select Update Driver.
   
5. Select Browse My Computer For Drivers.
   
6. Enter the folder where you extracted the CAB file and click Next.
   
7. If a valid driver is located, it will be installed on your computer.

Getting to Know Windows 11

Learning how to install a CAB file on Windows 11 allows you to ensure that your computer and its drivers are all up to date. Keeping your computer updated can help it to function better and also make you less vulnerable to malware.

There is plenty more you can learn about Microsoft’s latest operating system. For example, you can learn how to enable a dynamic refresh rate on Windows 11, or how to change the Task Manager start-up page to open up the tab you want.

If you want to know how well your computer is coping, you can use the Performance Monitor on Windows 11.