- Quick specs
- Price: Free to try (45-day trial); $29.95 to buy
- Operating system: Windows 2000/XP/Vista
- Date added: June 16, 2009
- Total Downloads: 194,454,276
- Downloads last week: 126,737
- See full specifications
A newer version of WinZip 12.1 is available.
(Download doesn't provide access to previous versions of this program.)
- CNET editors' rating: stars
- Average user rating: stars out of 1502 votes
See all user reviews
CNET editors' review
Reviewed by: CNET Staff
Version 12 of this venerable archiving tool packs a couple of excellent new compression features and enhancements. The best new feature lets users compress JPEG images, known for being hard to reduce in size because of their already-compressed nature. We saw file-size gains of about 20 percent in JPEG-only archives.
Another new feature, Zip from Camera, lets you transfer and compress photos directly from your camera as long as the model is supported. This feature also worked flawlessly in our tests. The improved thumbnail view not only lets users view thumbnails of their archived images--but it also lets users browse images within ZIPs without having to extract files first.
Encryption features get more than a new coat of paint in this version, with customizable password requirements and enhancements for system administrators that let them determine how, if at all, encryption is enforced. AES is supported, with the option for both 128-bit and 256-bit security. Files and folders can also be renamed within a ZIP, and the new Smart View is content-sensitive, automatically choosing the Thumbnail view for images, for example. We like the flexible drag-and-drop support, allowing you to drag files to and from the interface, which will zip or unzip them automatically.
We also like the contextual menus that enable you to perform most of WinZip's functions on the fly. Overall, WinZip is among the best compression programs available, providing all the features necessary to create easy backups, compress e-mail files, and manage downloaded files from the Internet.
Watch the CNET video review of WinZip 12.1:
Publisher's description
From WinZip Computing :WinZip is the original and most popular of all Windows ZIP file utilities. Wizard/Classic interfaces accommodate both first-time and experienced users. With WinZip you can quickly and easily compress and decompress files, folders, and entire folder trees to save storage space and reduce e-mail-transmission time, as well as encrypt and decrypt your sensitive documents. Features include tight integration with Windows Explorer, support for most Internet file formats, and one-click zipping and e-mail. WinZip 12 adds new features for JPEG compression, the ability to ZIP files directly from a digital camera, an enhanced thumbnail view, a built-in image viewer, support for the LZMA compression method, customizable password policies, more encyption options, and other new features.
CNET Editor's Note: WinZip is now bundled with Google Toolbar and Google Desktop Search. Installation of these components is optional.
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User reviews of WinZip 12.1 12.1 build 8519
- Average user rating: 3.8 stars out of 1502 votes
- My rating: 0 stars Write review
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Showing 5 of 35 user reviewsSee all 35 user reviews
This software version | All versions -
Version: WinZip 12.1 12.1 build 8519
Pros: its all here. no need to shop for multiple zip programs
Cons: not all files downloaded as zip files were unzipped
Summary: with the new features included in 12.1 you will have all the tools you need.
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Version: WinZip 12.1 12.1 build 8519
"Great product and easy to use."
Pros: I found the product easier to use than earlier versions.
Cons: I have not encountered any cons thus far but will let you know as I use it more.
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Version: WinZip 12.1 12.1 build 8519
Pros: Easy to use as always.
Cons: None that I can think of.
Summary: Easy to use and always has worked as advertised.
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Version: WinZip 12.1 12.1 build 8519
Pros: Lots of features
Cons: Although not an admitted zip power user, I found Winzip's set of programs not very straight forward to do simple things.
Summary: Give me a 30 second way to zip a picture that can be opened by anyone, and attach it to an email without having to wade through the Help documentation.
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Version: WinZip 12.1 12.1 build 8519
Pros: Seems to be as good as previous version.
Cons: I had to uninstall the WinZip 12.1, it interfered with my Foxit PDF Reader I had installed, I couldn't read my pdf files.
Summary: Perhaps I will re-install WinZip 12.1 in the future, if I feel I need it. But for now it will stay in my download folder as a in case I need it. Other than this, my Windows XP automatically unzips things for me.
- See all 35 user reviews Write review
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