7-ZIP Archiver 2.21

• Quick specs
• Price: Free to try
• Operating system: Windows NT, Windows 2000, Windows 98
• Date added: January 11, 2001
• Total Downloads: 1,453,039
• Downloads last week: 14,489
• See full specifications

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A newer version of 7-ZIP Archiver is available.

Download the latest version | Learn more about 7-Zip 4.65

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CNET editors' review

Reviewed by: CNET Staff

It's easy for Windows users to forget that WinZip isn't the only file-compression utility in the world. Like its better-known competitors, the free 7-Zip unpacks a host of archive formats, including ZIP, TAR, GZ, and its own 7z format. Unlike WinZip, though, it can create TAR and GZ archives, which are commonly used on Unix and Linux systems.

The program's ability to shrink files was stunning. In our tests, 7z archives were up to 40 percent smaller then their ZIP equivalents, although compression did take longer, and the highest compression settings can hog system resources. Advanced options include the ability to create solid and self-extracting archives, and to adjust the compression level and password protection. The program also has a command line module. Though the main interface is overly simple and looks like it was designed for Windows 95, it's not hard to use and fairly self-explanatory. The context menu options, which include "testing" an archive, indicate that 7-Zip should be taken seriously.

7-Zip is fine for casual users with a bit of computer savvy, but it's especially well-suited for developers and anyone else who moves between the Windows and Linux/Unix worlds.

Publisher's description

7-ZIP Archiver is a ZIP-compatible file archiver with a high compression ratio. This program is fully integrated into Windows Shell, supports ZIP, RAR, GZIP, and TAR formats, and provides a compression ratio that is two to ten percent better than other ZIP-compatible compression tools. There is also an additional command-line version of this program for backup and other purposes. Supports BZip2 and Cab and encrypted files. Version 2.21 is freeware.

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