0x800700CESystemMedium

Error 0x800700CE — Filename Too Long (ERROR_FILENAME_EXCED_RANGE) | Windows System Error Fix

Windows 11Windows 10Windows 8.1

What Does 0x800700CE Mean?

The filename or extension is too long. The full path exceeds the maximum length (260 characters by default).

Real-World Causes

1Deeply nested folder structure creating long paths
2Long file names combined with deep directory paths
3Extracted archive contains paths longer than Windows allows
4Cloud sync tools creating deeply nested folder structures

Symptoms

⚠Cannot create, copy, or move files with long paths
⚠File extraction from archives fails
⚠Sync tools report errors on specific files
⚠Cannot delete deeply nested folders

DIY Fix

Beginner-friendly steps you can try at home

1Shorten folder names in the path
2Move the parent folder closer to the root (e.g., C:\)
3Enable long paths: Settings > System > About > Advanced system settings or Group Policy
4Use 7-Zip to extract archives with long paths (it handles them better)

Advanced Fix

For experienced users and IT professionals

1Enable Win32 long paths via Group Policy: Computer Configuration > Administrative Templates > System > Filesystem > Enable Win32 long paths
2Use '\\?\' prefix in commands to bypass the 260-character limit
3Use robocopy (which supports long paths) to copy files

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the maximum path length in Windows?

The legacy limit is 260 characters (MAX_PATH). Windows 10 version 1607 and later can support paths up to approximately 32,767 characters when long path support is enabled via Group Policy or the registry. Not all applications support long paths yet.

Related Error Codes

0x8007007BInvalid Name (ERROR_INVALID_NAME)0x80070003Path Not Found (ERROR_PATH_NOT_FOUND)

About the Author

Windows Troubleshooting Team

Verified against official Microsoft documentation and real-world diagnostic data. Error behavior confirmed across Windows 10, Windows 11, and Windows Server.