Overview & Feature Analysis
A popular compression and file sharing app
WinZip is a popular
file management and conversion
tool, as well as an excellent means of
compression software
. WinZip supports numerous file types for their compression utilities, including Zip, Zipx, RAR, BZ2, LHA/LZH, VHD/VDMK, XZ, and more. Compressed files can be organized and cataloged via the app, its simple interface and smooth navigation compatible with 32-bit and 64-bit Windows, iOS, Android, and MacOS.
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With download sites, cloud services, and huge compendiums of zipped files available all across the Internet, you’re undoubtedly going to need a way to
open, extract, and manage
the contents housed inside larger downloads. WinZip is adept at archiving these files,
saving disk space, and securing zip files
so that you no longer have them cluttering your desktop or Downloads folder.
Share and manage large files
One of the most popular file
compression tools
in the world, WinZip is owned (and frequently updated) by an industry-leading development team with over two decades of experience. It offers innovative and comprehensive features that, thanks to
elegant UI and iconography
, remain intuitive for novice users. It’s a simple means of file sharing over
Google Drive
,
OneDrive
,
Dropbox
and all your other most frequented social media platforms.
The growing popularity of cloud storage has led to its heavy integration with WinZip. Users can use the app to zip files before uploading them. Other users can click the cloud link and open the file, further sharing it with anyone they choose. If you opt to use ZipShare, the online app from the development team, WinZip can also
share files
with
,
, and
.
Alternatively, you can
pin favorites in the Files Pane:
the main window where you’ll be unzipping, zipping, and otherwise managing your downloaded content. To maximize your organization, you can pin your favorite local network and/or cloud-based files to the Quick Access tab, accessing them with a single click. Removing one-use files can be managed with the
in-app Cleaner Tools
, which can
delete, zip, and relocate files at your discretion
.
Resize images, combine your PDFs
The primary purpose of WinZip is the zipping and unzipping of large files for easy storage and sharing. One of the app’s more understated functions is file management. Once you’ve downloaded the file you want, it’s too easy to lose its location amid the sea of use-and-forget .exe files, launchers, and temp files. An added bonus to WinZip is that it helps
keep track of often-used files
on your PC, network, and cloud.
WinZip uses a built-in search feature that quickly locates local files on your network, even if you can’t recall where you housed them. Besides combining and compressing the typical file extensions, such as large launcher wizards, premium versions of WinZip go the extra mile and extend to managing one of the Internet’s more ubiquitous file types: The PDF.
WinZip can
seamlessly merge pdf files
to save, zip, or share, going even so far as to organize the order of pages in the document, then combining them to be shielded by WinZip’s PDF security features. Experience enhanced Zipx compression with WinZip’s ZSTD compression method, compressing and decompressing file types faster while still ensuring a superior compression rate than DEFLATE and DEFLATE64.
Similar to its managing of PDFs, WinZip’s primary function belies the lengths of its editing power and versatility. The app is also a valid means of
resizing images
, doing so without the need for third-party
image editing tools
like Canva, Snappa, or Piktochart. While this may at first seem like a strange feature to add to a zip file opener, there’s a clear reason:
Resizing images goes hand in hand with image sharing since on many occasions where you’ll want to share a picture, you’ll also want to crop it, add filters, or otherwise edit it. Sharing a photo album is easy with WinZip, and making adjustments to your favorite PNG or JPEG file can now be done in the same place, saving you the time of arduously shuffling, renaming, and inevitably placing your file in the wrong folder.
WinZip also offers the added protection of
hiding metadata and making documents read-only
for Zip file downloads. It’s a useful tool for adding traceability, deterring plagiarism, and encrypting files. You can use WinZip to
add custom watermarks to any of your PDFs and images
. It’s even smart enough to switch toolbars depending on what you’re trying to accomplish.
How much does WinZip cost?
The app offers
three pricing tiers
, and a
trial version
of WinZip can let you scope out the service for 30 days before making the decision of which to purchase: The Standard version, Pro, and Enterprise. All three tiers provide the same excellent compression and decompression of files, and all three have practically the same encryption features, including
password-protected accidental deletion
and an
auto-wipe
.
All three tiers also maintain secure, sensitive data with strong, FIPS-197 certified AES encryption (both 128- and 256-bit), but the Enterprise tier boosts this to FIPS 140-2 both at rest and during exchange on a properly configured computer. This works even if you’re on a Windows OS that isn't in FIPS 140-2 mode. The Pro and Enterprise tiers also offer more management, packaging, and sharing options.
WinZip vs WinRAR
WinZip’s longtime competition has been WinRAR, another free zip/compression tool that operates similarly to WinZip. Both programs support both ZIP and RAR file extensions, so don’t let their names deceive you. WinRAR does support a few more file types than WinZip: UUE, GZ, 001, ARJ, and JAR. WinZip, however, supports VHD and VDMX, while WinRAR cannot.
Aside from their few differences in file support, the major discrepancy between the two apps is that WinRAR will only work on Windows, never Mac. If you're a Mac user, WinZip is your best (and only) option. If you have the choice, choose WinRAR if you want good compression capabilities without a high price tag; WinRAR is free.
Compress, manage, edit, and share
From zip and VHD files to PDFs and images, WinZip is an excellent choice for file compression and decompression in any capacity. Tag on its surprisingly extensive editing capabilities and you have a tool that’s multi-purpose and maybe even vital for your
business and productivity
. Quick at its job and intuitive for new users, it’s an outstanding solution for both your desktop and mobile device.