Opening ZIP Files

The ZIP format offers the possibility to group several files or entire directory trees in a container file to save space. All common operating systems make compression functions available for archiving files that you no longer need using native tools. However, special compression programs offer a more extensive range of functions.

A detailed guide on how to create ZIP files can be found in our general article about ZIP files. Read our step-by step tutorial below and learn how to extract zipped files – both with your operating system’s standard programs and with the most popular applications by other software manufacturers.

Unpacking ZIP Files with Windows Standard Programs

Follow these steps to unpack ZIP files using the tools that Windows 10 provides:

Step 1: Select the ZIP file you want to extract and right-click on the selected file.

Step 2: Click on “Extract all. ” in the shortcut menu that opens.

Windows File Explorer shortcut menu

Step 3: Select the destination folder where you want to save the contents of the ZIP file and click “Extract”.

Selecting the save destination

How to Open ZIP Files with macOS Standard Programs

Follow these steps to unpack a ZIP file using the standard macOS archive program.

Step 1: Select the ZIP file you want to open and right-click on the selected file.

Step 2: Click on “Open With” in the shortcut menu and select “Archive Utility (default)”. Alternatively, with macOS a double-click on a ZIP file is sufficient to unzip it with the default program.

macOS Finder shortcut menu

The unpacked content is automatically stored in the same folder as the ZIP file.

Unpacking Compressed Files with ZIP Programs

Special compression programs provide more options for zipping and unzipping files. Some of the most popular applications for Microsoft Windows include WinZip,WinRAR, and 7-Zip.

WinZip

Follow these steps to open a ZIP file using WinZip:

Step 1: Download the program WinZip from the website of the Canadian software manufacturer Coral as a trial version or paid full version: https://www.winzip.com/win/en/.

Step 2: Install WinZip on your system and agree to integrate the program into the Windows File Explorer shortcut menu.

Step 3: Right-click on the ZIP file you want to extract and select “WinZip”.

Step 4: Choose one of three options for unpacking ZIP folders:

WinZip options	Description
Unzip to.	Save the contents of the ZIP file to a destination folder of your choice
Unzip to here	Save the contents of the ZIP file to the current folder
Unzip to folder C:\User\EUser\Desktop\test	Save the contents of the ZIP file to the current directory in a folder named the same as the ZIP file

The WinZip program can be integrated directly into Windows Explorer’s shortcut menu.

WinRAR

Follow these steps to unpack a ZIP file using WinRAR:

Step 1: Download the proprietary archive program WinRAR from the provider’s website: https://www.rarlab.com/.

Step 2: Install WinRAR on your system and agree to integrate the program into the Windows File Explorer’s shortcut menu.

Step 3: Right-click on the ZIP file you want to open and select one of four options:

WinRAR options	Description
Open with WinRAR	Open the ZIP file with WinRAR
Extract files…	Save the ZIP file according to settings made in the next step
Extract Here	Save the contents of the ZIP file to the current folder
Extract to test	Save the contents of the ZIP file to the current directory in a folder named the same as the ZIP file

If necessary, you can integrate WinRAR directly into the Windows File Explorer shortcut menu and set the application as the default program for ZIP files and other archive formats.

The free software 7-Zip scores well not only with its extensive range of functions, but also since it’s free to use. To extract a ZIP file with 7-Zip:

Step 1: Download 7-Zip from https://www.7-zip.org/.

Step 2: Install the software on your system. The ZIP program is automatically integrated into the Windows shortcut menu.

Step 3: Right-click on the ZIP file you want to open and select 7-Zip from the Windows File Explorer shortcut menu.

Step 4: Select one of the following options to open the ZIP file with 7-Zip:

7-Zip options	Description
Open archive	Open the ZIP file with 7-Zip
Open > * / # / #:e / 7z / zip / cab / rar	Open the file with the specified format
Extract files…	Save the ZIP file according to settings made in the next step
Extract Here	Save the contents of the ZIP file to the current folder
Extract to “Example\”	Save the contents of the ZIP file to the current directory in a folder named the same as the ZIP file

7-Zip can also be integrated directly into the Windows File Explorer shortcut menu after installation.

We offer you a detailed comparison of the most popular ZIP programs in our article on WinZip alternatives.

9 excellent FTP programs / FTP clients for Windows & Mac

Are you familiar with the file transfer protocol also known as FTP? Those who answered this question negatively are advised to learn more about FTP by reading this guide. FTP immensely eases the task of transferring data over the internet. FTP servers are an especially wise choice when faced with the job of transferring large volumes of data. Transferring files to servers for exchange requires a.

Create a ZIP File: compress your files

Send multiple images and videos via email, archive large amounts of data without using too much space, or encrypt confidential documents — you can do all of this by zipping files. We show you how to create a compressed ZIP file in Windows as well as macOS in our step-by-step guide. We also show you how to protect your files with a password if needed. This way, you can manage your storage space.

WinZip alternatives: the best programs at a glance

Those seeking a powerful file archiver often fall back on WinZip. The tool allows users to quickly and easily compress files into archives or read already compressed data. WinZip also offers other useful features, which are available for a fee as soon as you’ve completed your trial period. However, if you don’t want to pay for file compression, there are various free WinZip alternatives to take.

Encrypting ZIP Files: How to Password Protect Your ZIP Files

The ZIP format enables you to combine multiple files or entire directory trees in a compressed container file. This not only saves hard drive space when archiving; ZIP files can also be password protected, if required, to safeguard archived content from third-party access. We show you how to do this.

CRC errors: explanation, causes, and possible solutions

Cyclic redundancy checking (CRC) plays a crucial role in ensuring that the transmission and storage of files happen smoothly. If, however, this process encounters problems, the results can be horrendous, especially when trying to extract and retrieve important data. In this article, you will learn what causes a CRC error, what a CRC error is, and how best to fix it.

Free file archiver utility, open, extract RAR TAR ZIP archives

PeaZip is free file archiver utility, based on Open Source technologies of 7-Zip, p7zip, Brotli, FreeArc, PAQ, Zstandard, and PEA projects.

Cross-platform, full-featured but user-friendly alternative to WinRar, WinZip and similar general purpose archive manager applications, open and extract 200+ archive formats: 001, 7Z, ACE(*), ARC, ARJ, BR, BZ2, CAB, DMG, GZ, ISO, LHA, PAQ, PEA, RAR(**), TAR, UDF, WIM, XZ, ZIP, ZIPX, ZST — view full list of supported archive file formats for archiving and for extraction.

This software is released under Open Source LGPLv3 license, free for any use (private and professional), all PeaZip packages are secure downloads and do not contain advertising or harmful software.
Moreover portable packages, for Linux and Windows, does not need installation: simply extract and use the application.

Open Source file compression and encryption software

PeaZip provides fast, high compression ratio multi-format archiving to 7Z, ARC, Brotli, BZ2, GZ, PEA, TAR, WIM, Zstandard and ZIP archives (write supported), and works as opener / extractor tool for 200+ archive types including ACE, ISO, RAR, ZIPX formats.
For more information about archive creation and extraction performances compared with other popular file archivers tools, read file compression and decompression benchmarks page.

This software deploys a powerful and complete file manager for editing, viewing, browsing and searching archive files, featuring a wide set of data security functions: strong encryption (AES, Twofish, Serpent), encrypted password manager, optional two-factor authentication (encryption with password and keyfile), secure delete , and file hashing tools.

PEAZIP FREE FILE ARCHIVER DOWNLOAD NOTES

Repositories of legacy software releases are available from PeaZip project page on GitHub , OSDN.net , and Sourceforge ; each release contains program’s packages for different supported operating systems, documentation, and sources.
See complete change log and release notes for list of updates and new features of the application, and for SHA256 hash values of each package published in current release.
PeaZip packages are currently not signed, but SHA256 is a cryptographically strong hash, and it is served here through a secure TLS/SSL website, so it can be used for check integrity and autenticity of the packages you are downloading. Download pages of Win64 and Win32 installers also shows SHA256 hash value of each packages.

GitHub	SourceForge

DOWNLOAD PEAZIP FREE FILE ARCHIVER SOURCES

PeaZip’s software source files (LGPL v3) are available as Git repository and as plain archive source package
PeaZip is written in FreePascal, a powerful Open Source cross-platform programming language, and Lazarus IDE is required to compile / build / edit the source code.

NEW! WinZip ® XP

Zip, protect, share and manage files
anywhere with the world’s #1 zip utility.

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OS Win 10 / 8 / 7 / Vista / XP

WinZip XP Standard

System Requirements

• Windows 10
• Windows 8
• Windows 7
• Windows Vista
• Windows XP
• Internet Explorer 8 or later

*WinZip Express is not compatible with Windows XP.

NEW! Job Wizard Super Picker Now your backups can include files from almost anywhere and now you can simply drag and drop them from Explorer or the WinZip File pane into the Job Wizard for backup. Combine files from your computer folders, the network and cloud services in one backup. Save the resulting zip to the cloud if you wish. Automate back up and distribution by creating a job that gathers files from various cloud services, zips them and distributes the zip via email according to your schedule.
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Add to Cart	Add to Cart
Compress/Decompress	WinZip Standard	WinZip Pro	Windows Compressed Folders
Zip and unzip files instantly with 64-bit, best-in-class software
Open and extract Zipx, RAR, 7Z, LHA, BZ2, IMG, ISO and all other major compression file formats
NEW! Open more files types as a Zip, including DOCX, XLSX, PPTX, XPS, ODT, ODS, ODP, ODG,WMZ, WSZ, YFS, XPI, XAP, CRX, EPUB, and C4Z
Open CAB, Zip and Zip 2.0 Methods
Convert other major compressed file formats to Zip format
Apply ‘Best Compression’ method to maximize efficiency automatically based on file type
Reduce JPEG image files by 20 — 25% with no loss of photo quality or data integrity
Compress using BZip2, LZMA, PPMD and Enhanced Deflate methods
Compress using Zip 2.0 compatible methods
‘Auto Open’ a zipped Microsoft Office file by simply double-clicking the Zip file icon
Employ advanced ‘Unzip and Try’ functionality to review interrelated components contained within a Zip file (such as an HTML page and its associated graphics).
Encrypt/Decrypt	WinZip Standard	WinZip Pro	Windows Compressed Folders
Apply encryption and conversion options, including PDF conversion, watermarking and photo resizing, before, during or after creating your zip
Apply separate conversion options to individual files in your zip
Take advantage of hardware support in certain Intel-based computers for even faster AES encryption
Administrative lockdown of encryption methods and password policies
Check ‘Encrypt’ to password protect your files using banking-level encryption and keep them completely secure
Secure sensitive data with strong, FIPS-197 certified AES encryption (128- and 256-bit)
Auto-wipe (‘shred’) temporarily extracted copies of encrypted files using the U.S. Department of Defense standard (DoD 5220.22-M) to prevent misuse
Establish your own password policy by defining complexity requirements
Encrypt and decrypt confidential files and email attachments
Manage	WinZip Standard	WinZip Pro	Windows Compressed Folders
Access all your files from your PC, network, Windows HomeGroup and supported cloud services via the Places list	Limited
NEW! Quickly access your frequently used local, network, and cloud folders in Frequent Folders	Requires special drivers for cloud
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NEW! Securely delete files and folders with the new Wipe feature
NEW! Restore accidentally deleted, copied, moved or renamed files
NEW! Open a file from the cloud in the correct application, or in an alternate application
NEW! Open and edit a file in the default application or an alternate one
NEW! View property info for files and folders
NEW! Map a folder or network location to a drive	Limited
NEW! Copy, move, delete and multi-file rename files	No multi-file rename
NEW! Copy a path to the clipboard
NEW! Copy a cloud link to the clipboard
NEW! View thumbnail previews of a selected file, whether it is in your zip, on your PC, network or cloud service (if the cloud service supports thumbnails)	Local or network only
NEW! Preview the contents of images and documents, rotate and resize images, save an image as a background and share previewed files by email, IM or social media
Includes WinZip Express for Explorer, Office and Photos built-in, and WinZip Express for Outlook as a free download
Maximize display space on devices with auto-hide scroll bars that disappear when not needed
Place a file in a zip without leaving a copy on your system with the Move option
Easily browse and find files in your zip with new Thumbnails
Customize WinZip more easily with redesigned configurable settings
Browse all your local, network and cloud files more easily in the Files pane
See the right tools for the task with the dynamic, slide-in Actions pane, which changes to display different features depending on your choices
Easily change the interface to Manage mode when you want to quickly access file management features, and see details like file type, size and date
Use WinZip on any touch-enabled device or computer
Use WinZip on new 2-in-1 computers. The display automatically adjusts when you switch between tablet and laptop modes
Rotate, Resize and View full-size images directly from within a Zip file
Temporarily extract Zip files using the ‘Unzip and Try’ feature and delete any files you do not need
Extract to selectable folder location or current folder location
Zip only the files you want using Include and Exclude filters
Use WinZip’s Explorer View to display image thumbnails for easy browsing
Package & Share	WinZip Standard	WinZip Pro	Windows Compressed Folders
NEW! Share to YouTube, Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn
NEW! Scan and share images and documents directly from WinZip
NEW! Share photos directly from your camera with Snap and Share
Choose a file from your computer, cloud service or a zip, then choose to share by email, social media or IM, and WinZip does the rest with SmartShare
Easily share links by Skype and other services with automatic links that are available to paste from the Clipboard
Share an unzipped image directly from the File Viewer to social media sites
Use direct access to cloud services, including Box, Google Drive, OneDrive, Dropbox, CloudMe, SugarSync and now MediaFire to open zip files saved in the cloud, zip files before you upload or select files from the cloud to zip and share
Access and manage files in the cloud easily with streamlined cloud navigation, and new options to download, share, move, rename, unzip and delete files or folders.
Send links to your cloud files by email, instant messaging and social media with Cloud Links
ENHANCED! Share zipped files via instant messaging services, including Office 365 Groups, Twitter, Google Talk/Google+ Hangouts, Yahoo! Messenger and Jabber
Directly access the new ZipShare file sharing services from WinZip to connect to your cloud accounts and easily share compressed files by email and social media
Convert documents to PDF, including read-only PDFs, using WinZip’s built in PDF conversion tool
Convert images to more convenient sharing sizes automatically when adding them to a Zip file so your high-resolution photos send faster and fit standard computer screens*
Add custom watermarks to images and PDFs to deter unauthorized copying, add traceability and protect intellectual property. Adjust the transparency and add date/time stamping if desired.
Zip and email files using the most popular email and webmail systems (WinZip comes configured to work with Microsoft Outlook, Yahoo! Mail, Gmail, and Hotmail) or configure WinZip to support additional email services beyond the preset selections
Create self-extracting archives (.exe files) to send to people that may not own WinZip using the built-in ‘Self-Extractor Personal Edition’
Backup & Automate	WinZip Standard	WinZip Pro	Windows Compressed Folders
NEW! Use the Job Wizard Super Picker to combine files from your computer, network and cloud services in a single backup. Save the resulting Zip to the cloud.
Skip steps when defaults and settings do not require changes with automatic backup creation and editing
Backup your documents, email, desktop, favorites, pictures, libraries, etc. with just a click, using one of the predefined backups on the ‘Backup’ tab
Create custom backups for selected files or folders or define custom WinZip jobs to automate routine zipping tasks
Backup photos directly from your digital camera
Burn backups directly to CD, DVD or Blu-ray Disc (automatically split them over multiple discs if necessary)
Email backups automatically from virtually any of your email addresses or upload backups to an off-site server using WinZip’s internal FTP client
Backup to any connected cloud account, desktop folder or between cloud accounts
Send notifications by social media and instant messaging when automated jobs have completed using the updated Job Wizard
Use the ‘WinZip Command Line Support Add-On’ for scripting (free add-on)
Add to Cart	Add to Cart

*Requires Microsoft Windows 10, Windows 8, Windows 7 or Vista
**Requires Microsoft Windows 10, Windows 8 or Windows 7

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