diff --git a/.github/workflows/build.yml b/.github/workflows/build.yml
index 89f3bc7c3..c58575748 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/build.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/build.yml
@@ -16,5 +16,5 @@ jobs:
           qt-modules: qtpositioning qtwebchannel qtwebengine qtwebsockets
           mo2-third-parties:
             7z zlib gtest libbsarch libloot openssl bzip2 python lz4 spdlog
-            boost boost-di sip pyqt pybind11 ss licenses explorerpp
+            boost boost-di sip pyqt pybind11 ss licenses explorerpp DirectXTex
           mo2-dependencies: usvfs cmake_common uibase githubpp bsatk esptk archive lootcli game_gamebryo
diff --git a/src/CMakeLists.txt b/src/CMakeLists.txt
index 10459e7e1..7188c03b8 100644
--- a/src/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/src/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -7,8 +7,9 @@ mo2_configure_executable(organizer
 	EXTRA_TRANSLATIONS ${MO2_SUPER_PATH}/game_gamebryo/src ${MO2_UIBASE_PATH}/src
 	PRIVATE_DEPENDS
 		uibase githubpp bsatk esptk archive usvfs lootcli boost::program_options
-		Qt::WebEngineWidgets Qt::WebSockets)
+		DirectXTex libbsarch Qt::WebEngineWidgets Qt::WebSockets)
 target_link_libraries(organizer PUBLIC Shlwapi)
+target_include_directories(organizer PUBLIC ${DDS_ROOT})
 mo2_install_target(organizer)
 
 install(FILES "${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR}/dlls.manifest.qt6"
diff --git a/src/filetree.cpp b/src/filetree.cpp
index f043448f4..6d397f24e 100644
--- a/src/filetree.cpp
+++ b/src/filetree.cpp
@@ -246,16 +246,12 @@ void FileTree::activate(FileTreeItem* item)
     return;
   }
 
-  if (item->isFromArchive()) {
-    log::warn("cannot activate file from archive '{}'", item->filename());
-    return;
-  }
-
   const auto tryPreview = m_core.settings().interface().doubleClicksOpenPreviews();
 
   if (tryPreview) {
     const QFileInfo fi(item->realPath());
-    if (m_plugins.previewGenerator().previewSupported(fi.suffix().toLower())) {
+    if (m_plugins.previewGenerator().previewSupported(fi.suffix().toLower(),
+                                                      item->isFromArchive())) {
       preview(item);
       return;
     }
diff --git a/src/modinfodialog.cpp b/src/modinfodialog.cpp
index d0e8d1ad2..1798e9870 100644
--- a/src/modinfodialog.cpp
+++ b/src/modinfodialog.cpp
@@ -42,12 +42,8 @@ const int max_scan_for_context_menu = 50;
 bool canPreviewFile(const PluginContainer& pluginContainer, bool isArchive,
                     const QString& filename)
 {
-  if (isArchive) {
-    return false;
-  }
-
   const auto ext = QFileInfo(filename).suffix().toLower();
-  return pluginContainer.previewGenerator().previewSupported(ext);
+  return pluginContainer.previewGenerator().previewSupported(ext, isArchive);
 }
 
 bool isExecutableFilename(const QString& filename)
diff --git a/src/modinfodialogimages.cpp b/src/modinfodialogimages.cpp
index 1042eacaa..7b250e1e8 100644
--- a/src/modinfodialogimages.cpp
+++ b/src/modinfodialogimages.cpp
@@ -262,7 +262,7 @@ void ImagesTab::select(std::size_t i, Visibility v)
     ui->imagesPath->setText(QDir::toNativeSeparators(f->path()));
     ui->imagesExplore->setEnabled(true);
     if (plugin().previewGenerator().previewSupported(
-            QFileInfo(f->path()).suffix().toLower()))
+            QFileInfo(f->path()).suffix().toLower(), false))
       ui->previewPluginButton->setEnabled(true);
     else
       ui->previewPluginButton->setEnabled(false);
diff --git a/src/organizercore.cpp b/src/organizercore.cpp
index f471ead19..0f6a14551 100644
--- a/src/organizercore.cpp
+++ b/src/organizercore.cpp
@@ -71,6 +71,8 @@
 #include <tuple>
 #include <utility>
 
+#include "bs_archive.h"
+
 #include "organizerproxy.h"
 
 using namespace MOShared;
@@ -1053,7 +1055,7 @@ bool OrganizerCore::previewFileWithAlternatives(QWidget* parent, QString fileNam
   // set up preview dialog
   PreviewDialog preview(fileName, parent);
 
-  auto addFunc = [&](int originId) {
+  auto addFunc = [&](int originId, std::wstring archiveName = L"") {
     FilesOrigin& origin = directoryStructure()->getOriginByID(originId);
     QString filePath =
         QDir::fromNativeSeparators(ToQString(origin.getPath())) + "/" + fileName;
@@ -1066,14 +1068,33 @@ bool OrganizerCore::previewFileWithAlternatives(QWidget* parent, QString fileNam
       } else {
         preview.addVariant(ToQString(origin.getName()), wid);
       }
+    } else if (archiveName != L"") {
+      auto archiveFile = directoryStructure()->searchFile(archiveName);
+      if (archiveFile.get() != nullptr) {
+        try {
+          libbsarch::bs_archive archiveLoader;
+          archiveLoader.load_from_disk(archiveFile->getFullPath());
+          libbsarch::memory_blob fileData =
+              archiveLoader.extract_to_memory(fileName.toStdWString());
+          QByteArray convertedFileData((char*)(fileData.data), fileData.size);
+          QWidget* wid = m_PluginContainer->previewGenerator().genArchivePreview(
+              convertedFileData, filePath);
+          if (wid == nullptr) {
+            reportError(tr("failed to generate preview for %1").arg(filePath));
+          } else {
+            preview.addVariant(ToQString(origin.getName()), wid);
+          }
+        } catch (std::exception& e) {
+        }
+      }
     }
   };
 
   if (selectedOrigin == -1) {
     // don't bother with the vector of origins, just add them as they come
-    addFunc(file->getOrigin());
+    addFunc(file->getOrigin(), file->isFromArchive() ? file->getArchive().name() : L"");
     for (const auto& alt : file->getAlternatives()) {
-      addFunc(alt.originID());
+      addFunc(alt.originID(), alt.isFromArchive() ? alt.archive().name() : L"");
     }
   } else {
     std::vector<int> origins;
diff --git a/src/previewgenerator.cpp b/src/previewgenerator.cpp
index ba73c0650..dad41c2fa 100644
--- a/src/previewgenerator.cpp
+++ b/src/previewgenerator.cpp
@@ -35,12 +35,16 @@ PreviewGenerator::PreviewGenerator(const PluginContainer& pluginContainer)
   m_MaxSize = QGuiApplication::primaryScreen()->size() * 0.8;
 }
 
-bool PreviewGenerator::previewSupported(const QString& fileExtension) const
+bool PreviewGenerator::previewSupported(const QString& fileExtension,
+                                        const bool& isArchive) const
 {
   auto& previews = m_PluginContainer.plugins<IPluginPreview>();
   for (auto* preview : previews) {
     if (preview->supportedExtensions().contains(fileExtension)) {
-      return true;
+      if (!isArchive)
+        return true;
+      if (preview->supportsArchives())
+        return true;
     }
   }
   return false;
@@ -58,3 +62,17 @@ QWidget* PreviewGenerator::genPreview(const QString& fileName) const
   }
   return nullptr;
 }
+
+QWidget* PreviewGenerator::genArchivePreview(const QByteArray& fileData,
+                                             const QString& fileName) const
+{
+  const QString ext = QFileInfo(fileName).suffix().toLower();
+  auto& previews    = m_PluginContainer.plugins<IPluginPreview>();
+  for (auto* preview : previews) {
+    if (m_PluginContainer.isEnabled(preview) &&
+        preview->supportedExtensions().contains(ext) && preview->supportsArchives()) {
+      return preview->genDataPreview(fileData, fileName, m_MaxSize);
+    }
+  }
+  return nullptr;
+}
diff --git a/src/previewgenerator.h b/src/previewgenerator.h
index dd0d2cd4f..15d652f62 100644
--- a/src/previewgenerator.h
+++ b/src/previewgenerator.h
@@ -33,10 +33,12 @@ class PreviewGenerator
 public:
   PreviewGenerator(const PluginContainer& pluginContainer);
 
-  bool previewSupported(const QString& fileExtension) const;
+  bool previewSupported(const QString& fileExtension, const bool& isArchive) const;
 
   QWidget* genPreview(const QString& fileName) const;
 
+  QWidget* genArchivePreview(const QByteArray& fileData, const QString& fileName) const;
+
 private:
   const PluginContainer& m_PluginContainer;
   QSize m_MaxSize;