Download WinZip for free – The world's #1 zip file utility to instantly zip or unzip files, share files quickly through email, and much more. Download WinZip for free – The world's #1 zip file utility to instantly zip or unzip files, share files quickly through email, and much more.
- Take full control over RAR and ZIP archives, along with unpacking a dozen other archive formats
- Last updated on 05/08/19
- There have been 1 update within the past 6 months
- The current version has 1 flag on VirusTotal
- Also available on Android and Mac
WinRAR (32-bit) is a convenient utility program that lets you open compressed files or create your own new archives with just a few clicks. This streamlined and efficient program accomplishes everything you'd expect with no hassle through an intuitive and clean interface, making it accessible to users of all skill levels.
Pros
Sleek and speedy: This app does exactly what you want it to do, and it does it very quickly. When accessed through WinRAR, compressed files open just like any other folder would. And when you want to create your own archive, the process is just as streamlined.
A complete package: WinRAR offers all of the features you'd want from a program like this without any baggage. It lets you create archives, add files to existing archives via drag and drop, open both ZIP and RAR files, and repair and protect your archived files.
Cons
Open Compressed Zip Files For Free
Not free: While the length of the 40-day trial may cause you to forget, this program is not free. Once you've passed the 40-day mark, you'll have to pay $29 for a license to continue using it.
How To Open Zip Files
Bottom Line
It's hard to work on a Windows computer for long without downloading WinRAR. When you're looking for programs that can open or create compressed files, it consistently ends up at the top of the list, and for good reason. And the generous trial period means there's no real reason not to check it out. The 32-bit version of this app will work on both 32-bit and 64-bit machines, but if you know you have a 64-bit system, you're better off going with the version of WinRAR that's optimized for it.
Editors' note: This is a review of the trial version of WinRAR (32-bit) 5.01.
What do you need to know about free software?
WinRAR (32-bit) is a convenient utility program that lets you open compressed files or create your own new archives with just a few clicks. This streamlined and efficient program accomplishes everything you'd expect with no hassle through an intuitive and clean interface, making it accessible to users of all skill levels.
Pros
Sleek and speedy: This app does exactly what you want it to do, and it does it very quickly. When accessed through WinRAR, compressed files open just like any other folder would. And when you want to create your own archive, the process is just as streamlined.
A complete package: WinRAR offers all of the features you'd want from a program like this without any baggage. It lets you create archives, add files to existing archives via drag and drop, open both ZIP and RAR files, and repair and protect your archived files.
Cons
Not free: While the length of the 40-day trial may cause you to forget, this program is not free. Once you've passed the 40-day mark, you'll have to pay $29 for a license to continue using it.
Bottom Line
It's hard to work on a Windows computer for long without downloading WinRAR. When you're looking for programs that can open or create compressed files, it consistently ends up at the top of the list, and for good reason. And the generous trial period means there's no real reason not to check it out. The 32-bit version of this app will work on both 32-bit and 64-bit machines, but if you know you have a 64-bit system, you're better off going with the version of WinRAR that's optimized for it.
Editors' note: This is a review of the trial version of WinRAR (32-bit) 5.01.
You probably heard the term 'zip' many times before. It's one of the most popular file formats that allows you to compress files to save space on your hard drive or to make it easier to send them over the internet.
Typically, you would use zip for archiving files you rarely use, or to send documents and pictures via email. In addition, zip is also commonly used to compress files and make them available for download on websites or through FTP servers.
Nowadays, lots of third-party software can handle zip compression, but if you're running Windows 10, you don't need to install extra software, because the OS supports zip natively.
In this Windows 10 guide, we'll walk you through the easy steps to zip and unzip files and save space on your computer's hard drive or just to make it easier to send them.
How to zip files to save hard drive space
To compress files using zip and save hard drive space, do the following:
- Open File Explorer.
- Navigate to the location with the items you want to compress.
Right-click on an empty space, select New, and click Compressed (zipped) Folder.
- Type a descriptive name for the folder and press Enter.
- Select the files and folders you want to compress.
Right-click your selection, and choose Cut.
- Double-click the newly-created compressed folder.
Right-click it and select Paste.
You can always add more files to the zip folder by repeating steps 5, 6 and 7.
How to zip files to share with other people
If you're only trying to compress files to make it easier to send them over the internet, you can do the following:
- Open File Explorer.
- Navigate to the location of the items you want to compress.
- Select the files and folders you want to share.
Right-click your selection, select Send to, and click on Compressed (zipped) folder.
- Type a name for the compressed folder and press Enter.
Once you complete these steps, you can, for example, attach the zipped folder to email to share files with other people. After you sent the email, you can safely delete the zipped folder, because it only contains a copy of your original files.
Alternatively, you can select the items you want to send, and from the Share tab, click the Zip button to compress.
How to unzip files on Windows 10
Windows 10 supports zip natively, which means that you can just double-click the zipped folder to access its content — and open files. However, you always want to extract all the compressed files before using them.
If you don't unzip the files, you won't be able to edit and save the new content in the same document, and if you're trying to install a piece of software, the installation process won't start.
There are at least two ways to extract files from a zipped folder:
Use the Extract All wizard
To extract all the files from a zipped folder, do the following:
- Right-click the compressed (zipped) folder.
Select Extract All from the context menu.
- By default, the compressed files will extract in the same location as the zipped folder, but you can click the Browse button to select an alternative location.
Check the Show extracted files when complete option.
- Click Extract.
Using the File Explorer
To extract all or individual files from a zipped folder, do the following:
- Double-click the compressed (zipped) folder.
- Select the file or files you want to extract.
Right-click your selection and click Cut.
- Navigate to the location you want to unzip the files to.
Right-click and select Paste.
Alternatively, inside the zipped folder, you can select the items you want, and on the Extract tab, select the location to extract the files. If the location isn't listed, click the More button, and then click the Choose location button to find the correct folder.
Wrapping up
Although there are tons of third-party software options designed to compress files, which can also handle additional compression file formats, you'll find that Windows 10 includes all the necessary functionalities anyone needs to zip and unzip files.
Do you use Windows 10 or another software to handle file compression? Let us know your preferences in the comments.
More Windows 10 resources
For more help articles, coverage, and answers to common questions about Windows 10, visit the following resources:
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