- Quick specs
- Price: Free to try (45-day trial); $29.95 to buy (Buy it now)
- Operating system: Windows 2000/XP/Vista
- Date added: June 27, 2007
- Total Downloads: 197,732,426
- Downloads last week: 102,057
- Product Ranking: #2 in File Compression
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- CNET Community
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- CNET editors' rating: stars
- Average user rating: stars out of 1559 votes
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CNET editors' review
Reviewed by: CNET Staff on November 08, 2008
This venerable tool packs plenty of features for simple compression needs, along with superior security tools for advanced compression and backup-file management. You can run WinZip using the optional Wizard interface for a step-by-step guide to easy compression, or you can use the classic interface to set file and folder compressions to your specifications.
You also can change the view to a Windows Explorer format, making it easy to navigate your hard drive when creating a compressed archive. The AES (Advanced Encryption Standard) encryption method provides excellent security for your files, with the option for both 128-bit (lower-level) and 256-bit (higher-level) security. We like the flexible drag-and-drop support, allowing you to drag files to and from the interface which zips or unzips them automatically.
We also like the contextual menus (right-click) that enable you to perform most of WinZip's functions on the fly, including complex tasks like zipping a file and automatically attaching it to an e-mail for quick delivery. 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:
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. Version 11.2 offers a thumbnail image view and automatic compression selection, plus improved compression for audio files (.WAV), the ability to open .RAR, .LHA and .BZ2 files, and Unicode support.
Note: WinZip is now bundled with Google Toolbar and Google Desktop Search. Installation of these components is optional. Users with either of two Google components already installed will have the option to receive a free registry scan from Registry Booster by Uniblue Systems.
What's new in this version:
Version 11.2 offers a thumbnail image view and automatic compression selection, plus improved compression for audio files (.WAV), the ability to open .RAR, .LHA and .BZ2 files, and Unicode support.More popular File Compression downloads
- 391,656 downloads 1. WinRAR (32-bit)
- 97,074 downloads 2. WinZip
- 81,679 downloads 3. WinRAR (64-bit)
- 21,684 downloads 4. 7-Zip
- 17,107 downloads 5. Free RAR Extract Frog
- See all File Compression downloads
User reviews of WinZip 11.2
- All versions: 3.8 starsout of 1559 votes
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- Current version: 3.8 starsout of 252 votes
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- My rating: 0 stars Write review
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5 stars
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful
Version: WinZip 11.2
"Comparison between WinZIP 11.1 and PKZIP for WIndows 9"
Pros: Download.com does not offer PKZIP for WIndows. My goal was to zip and split a folder containing a 5.4 GB DVD image into decent-size chunks, from the Windows Explorer context menu. I bought and used both programs.
Compared to PKZIP for WIndows 9 (from now on just PKZIP), WinZIP is a much better-behaved program.
PKZIP barely provides a user interface from the context menu of Windows Explorer, ties up Explorer so you cannot use it, and hard disk utilization is to the max. In fact, what is actually running is not PKZIP but System (containing Windows XP built-in compression utility), as seeing in Task Manager. So, is PKZIP for Windows just a window-dresser for the built-in Windows XP compression support?
I do like the fact that PKZIP allows you to preset a default compression type (maximum, of course), and a split size, even though I cannot customize size, nor does it include ZipDrive 250 or ZipDrive 750 split size.
With WinZIP, you can choose an arbitrary size for your split file, but it has major caveats. See under Cons for details.
Finally, the Wall of Weird on PKZIP is that every single split file created has the date 7/24/2007 10:23 AM, whereas the head ZIP file has the real modified and created dates.
WinZIP, by contrast, comes as its own application, leaving Windows Explorer alone, it does not hog processor time or go above 50%, even with the maximum compression setting (at least, with HyperThreading on), and only from time to time blurts out chunks to disk.
Finally, the Wall of Weird on WinZIP is that it starts with the initial zip file, but at split time you end up with a split file and an empty .ZIP file, both of which have the SAME Creation Date (and time). This process repeats over and over as it creates splits. The end result is that the zip file usually has an odd size, ends up as the tail of the whole chain, and each split file has the same creation date. The modified date is just as expected.
Cons: Does not allow you to preset compression type nor split file size in their Configuration window.
With WinZIP, you can choose an arbitrary size for your split file, but you cannot default a split size before the first time you zip up a file. In fact, in the Add file menu, changes in any other control erases user settings, and resets splits to its default: Don't Split. VERY BAD
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5 stars
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful
Version: WinZip 11.2
"Much easier & user friendly then others"
Pros: This software is a must for all computer user, since lots of downloads are zip files. it is one step go.
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4 stars
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful
Version: WinZip 11.2
"Better than the last vdownload as always and easy to muse"
Pros: I find the software user friendly as always and look forward to even better versions in the future
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2 stars
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful
Version: WinZip 11.2
"Trial Version Overwrote My Licensed Copy"
Pros: This is a great archiving tool. Too bad I'll never trust them again.
Cons: Downloading and installing this update overwrote my licensed copy, and now they want me to pay again.
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1 stars
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful
Version: WinZip 11.2
"Overloaded with junk"
Pros: What to like about this...that it used to be a better software
Cons: Overloaded with things that I will never use. The older versions were better. There are better versions available, get that instead that does the job and does it well.
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1 stars
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful
Version: WinZip 11.2
"Very bad!Don't download it,if you want your PC"
Pros: I like just the zip and unzip function,but otherwise...
Cons: What the **** whas that?It was full of viruses and spyware!My antivirus sucked!
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4 stars
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful
Version: WinZip 11.2
"I HOPE ITS REALLY OCRE LACH"
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2 stars
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful
Version: WinZip 11.2
"Ok....good for 45 days....but why buy when there's...."
Pros: It was fun while it was free. But this freeware I speak of below is much better. Enjoy!
Cons: 7-zip. It's freeware and though it won't do everything rar does. It will help with decompressing of almost alll files like !SO and ZIP and even let you compress ZIP and RAR files. Check that program out when this one is up. Thank you be the judge.
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5 stars
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful
Version: WinZip 11.2
"everyone should have it"
Pros: works fine. Even non geeks can use it
Cons: have to seach where the dezipped fles go...
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4 stars
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful
Version: WinZip 11.2
"Easy install & repairs Vista compressed folders problem"
Pros: I've been reviewing different zip programs looking for one that natively supports drag-and-drop file-add operations to zipfiles. Haven't found anything that I quite like yet. My 'compressed folders' association under vista had been disabled & was having trouble re-enabling it. After installing & evaluating Winzip it wasn't what I was looking for so it was uninstalled. Now my native 'compressed folder' appearance and operation is back to normal. Don't know if Winzip fixed it by itself or if it was the result of a number of tweaks but I'm thankful!
Cons: Unregistered version pops up a dialog every time you use the program even for drag/drop operations. Perhaps going to popping every fifth use would make for a more pleasant evaluation.
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