Best Free Zip File Extractor

To view the contents of a.zip file, double-click it. Windows opens it as if it were a folder. You can copy-and-paste files or drag-and-drop them to or from the ZIP file to extract files from the ZIP file, or to add new files to the ZIP file. You can also delete or rename files here and they’ll be removed from the ZIP file or renamed inside it. WinZip is the best-known software for creating and opening compressed file archives, but it's not the only option and there are many superb free alternatives worth investigating before you open. See also: – 11 Best Free EPS File Viewer Software. See also: – 10 Best ePub Readers For Windows – TechWhoop. PeaZip is another archive ISO file extractor software tool similar to WinZip and 7-zip. It is an open source software which is available online. It is identical to 7-zip.

  • Archive files in different formats and manage them
  • Last updated on 02/22/19
  • There have been 0 updates within the past 6 months
  • The current version has 1 flag on VirusTotal

7-Zip is a utility program to help you extract compressed files and create your own compressed files in several different formats. With these tools you can easily send large quantities of information or open compressed files you receive without hassle.

Pros

Format options: This program can handle multiple compression formats. It can package files into 7z, ZIP, GZIP, BZIP2, and TAR formats, and it can unpack all those, in addition to ARJ, CAB, CHM, CPIO, DEB, DMG, and more.

Advanced capabilities: This app is straightforward enough that novice users will have no trouble accessing its basic features. But for more advanced users, there are other options as well that make this program even better. These include the ability to create self-extracting 7z files and the option to add password protection to compressed files.

Cons

Free unzip software windows 10

Compression process: The compression process this app uses takes more time to complete than some alternative programs' processes do. Compressions carried out through 7-Zip also require a lot of system resources while they're in progress.

Bottom Line

7-Zip is completely free to download and use, and its many upsides far outweigh the few minor drawbacks that come with it. If you're looking for an alternative to WinZip or another similar program, this is a good option to consider.

What do you need to know about free software?

7-Zip is a utility program to help you extract compressed files and create your own compressed files in several different formats. With these tools you can easily send large quantities of information or open compressed files you receive without hassle.

Pros

Best

Format options: This program can handle multiple compression formats. It can package files into 7z, ZIP, GZIP, BZIP2, and TAR formats, and it can unpack all those, in addition to ARJ, CAB, CHM, CPIO, DEB, DMG, and more.

Advanced capabilities: This app is straightforward enough that novice users will have no trouble accessing its basic features. But for more advanced users, there are other options as well that make this program even better. These include the ability to create self-extracting 7z files and the option to add password protection to compressed files.

Cons

Compression process: The compression process this app uses takes more time to complete than some alternative programs' processes do. Compressions carried out through 7-Zip also require a lot of system resources while they're in progress.

Bottom Line

7-Zip is completely free to download and use, and its many upsides far outweigh the few minor drawbacks that come with it. If you're looking for an alternative to WinZip or another similar program, this is a good option to consider.

Image credit: TechRadar; Ashampoo

Best Free Zip File Extractor For Mac

WinZip is the best-known software for creating and opening compressed file archives, but it's not the only option and there are many superb free alternatives worth investigating before you open your wallet.

Winrar

Windows (from XP onwards) has a built-in compression tool, accessed by right-clicking one or more folders/files, and selecting 'Send to > Compressed (zipped) folder'. This is fine for very occasional use, but is very limited. It can only read and create ZIP files (there are dozens of other formats), it doesn't let you create multiple volumes of a particular size, can't repair damaged archives, and doesn't support encryption. In fact, if you use it to compress an encrypted file, it will be decrypted when extracted.

It's therefore a good idea to have a different WinZip alternative on hand for compressing and opening file archives, and we've picked out the best.

Is WinZip free?

Best Free Zip File Extractor For Windows 10

No, there's no free version of WinZip. You can download a 30-day free trial, but a standard license costs £31.14, US$35.94, AU$47.94.