7-Zip
Free, open-source Windows file archiver with its own 7z format and support for dozens of formats.
- Pricing
- Open source
- Platforms
- Windows
- Categories
- Utilities & system
About 7-Zip
7-Zip, by Igor Pavlov, is a free and open-source file archiver for Windows. Its own 7z format uses LZMA and LZMA2 compression, and it can pack and unpack 7z, XZ, BZIP2, GZIP, TAR, ZIP and WIM, and unpack many others including RAR, ISO, DMG, CAB, MSI, VHD/VHDX and VMDK. Features include AES-256 encryption for 7z and ZIP, self-extracting 7z archives, Windows shell integration, a file manager, a command-line version and a plugin for FAR Manager, with localisations in 87 languages. Most code is under the GNU LGPL, with some BSD 3-clause parts and an unRAR licence restriction. It can be used on any computer, including commercially, without registering or paying.
Good for
Anyone on Windows who needs a no-cost archiver for everyday ZIP/7z work, high compression, or scripting via the command line, including in businesses.
Watch out for
The official downloads are Windows only. Creating RAR archives is not supported (RAR is unpack-only). The interface is plain.
Pricing notes
As of October 2026 7-Zip is free for any use, including commercial, with no registration.
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