7-Zip is one of the top-rated file archiving software along with the WinRAR.
This utility application is mostly used to compress a group of files into one single file known as “Archives.”
The tool was developed by a Russian software engineer named Igor Pavlov, and the application was first introduced in 1999.
7-Zip is an open-source application available free of charge. You can download it for Windows, Android, MacOS, and Linux.
The application is not only to use for free of charge. You can even use it for commercial use for free. So it gives you the legal background to copy and distribute the application legally.
Check out – How to automate simple tasks like file compressing with TinyTask
Contents
What is 7-Zip?
The main archiving format of the 7-Zip tool is 7z, and this format is unique to the application.
However, it can compress and decompresses files in different archive formats such as RAR, ZIP, CAB, ARJ, LZH, ACE, TAR, GZip, UUE, ISO, BZIP2, Z and 7-Zip, and so on.
Also, you can use the 7-Zip archiver as a command-line interface as the command p7-Zip.
In addition to that, there is another command-line executable available in 7-Zip apart from 7z.exe.
That command line is 7za.exe, and this version is available for operating systems like Linux and MacOS.
However, it uses the GUI of the Unix/Linux Archive Manager.
Further, it can also be used through a graphical user interface that also works as a shell integration.
The majority of the source codes of the 7-Zip comes under the GNU LGPL license.
However, the unRAR code has issued with an “unRAR restriction” under the GNU LGPL license.
It means that other than the owner of the application, any other developer is not given the authority to use the code to reverse-engineer or any further modification to the RAR compression algorithm.
7-Zip uses The 256-bit Advanced Encryption Standard (AES) cipher specification to encrypt both files and 7z archival hierarchy.
Therefore, when you encrypt a 7z archival, it will require the password to see the names of files that are included in the archive.
Further, you can also use 7-Zip to encrypt the Zip file AES developed by WinZip. However, filename encryption is not available for Zip file AES as 7z.
Application package information
| Application Name | 7-Zip |
| File Size | 1.37 Mb |
| Content Rating | 12+ |
| Supported Operating System | Windows, Mac, Linux and Android |
| System Requirement | Windows 7 and above |
| Category | Tool |
Download 7-Zip
Why is 7-Zip a Best File Archival Application?
As we mentioned earlier, the main and default archival format of the 7-Zip is 7z format.
Further, there is a separate extension as well for the archival format. So 7z comes in the file extension of .7z.
When you are creating an archive, it has the ability to create multiple directories and files.
Further, when you are compressing a file as a container, it will have more security and size reduction as a result of a stacked combination of filters used by 7-Zip.
Such combinations include pre-processors, compression algorithms, and encryption filters.
7z as the primary archiving format used bzip2, PPMd, LZMA2, and LZMA as its main algorithm, and apart from them, there few other algorithms are also used.
As you might already aware, Igor Pavlov developed 7-Zip and all its initial algorithms.
However, LZMA is relatively the latest algorithm compared to other ones for the 7z file format.
It uses a sliding dictionary based on LZ of up to 4GB in size, and it works on a range of coders.
As you already know, 7z file format is an opensource format, and file names are stored as Unicode. Therefore anyone can make modifications to it according to their preference.
According to research, it found that 7z compresses files 17 percent better than the ZIP file format.
However, official developers state that the results of the compression ratio depending on the type of data that uses to create an archive file using 7z.
When you get the programs’ source code, you will get the 7z file format specification as well.
You can find it in the “Doc” subdirectory.
Further, 7-Zip supports for 87 different languages. So it makes it easier for users all around the world as it breaks the communication barriers.
How to Install 7-Zip?
As we have mentioned above, you have to fist select the right setup file according to your device and operating system.
For example, it could be Windows, MacOS, Android, Linux, and so on.
STEP 01
Go to the download section of this page and select the setup file accordingly.
STEP 02
Once you have downloaded the setup file, double click on it to launch the installation.
STEP 03
When the installation is launched, you will have the option to select a path (i.e., directory) to install the application.
So if you do not want to change the default installation directory, do not adjust it.
Click on the “Install” Button
STEP 04
That’s it. Once the installation process is completed, click on the “Finish” button.
How to Use 7-Zip to Compress Files?
How to Compress Files?
In this section, you will learn how to compress and decompress files using 7-Zip.
So at the end of this section, you can master all the essential functions of 7-Zip.
First of all, you have to download and install 7-Zip before we get on with the detailed tutorial. So you can download the application from the above download section.
After the installation process is done,
STEP 01
Open the 7-Zip on your computer and then go to the files you want to compress.
After that, click on the “Add” button to select the files. Keep in mind that you have to put files that you want to compress into one folder (directory).
STEP 02
When you go to “Add to Archive,” you will get a table of different options, as shown in the below image. So do adjust them according to your requirement.
Given below is the detailed explanation of each filed.
- Archive-It displays the name of your archive file.
- Archive format – It shows you the different compression formats that 7-Zip has. You may choose the 7z for the best compression.
- Compression level – When you increase the compression level, it takes more time, but it will save more space as well. However, if you reduce the compression level, time takes to compress the file is low, but the file size gets relatively large compared to a highly compressed file.
- Compression method – The best compression method is LZMA. So you may select that option.
- Split to volumes, bytes – With this option, you can split your archive files into separate volumes.
- Encryption – It gives you the option to secure your archive file with a password.
Once you have adjusted the options, click on “ok.” After that, your archived file will be available in the same folder.
How to Decompress Files?
You may also want to use 7-Zip for decompressing different archived files.
It’s very straightforward with 7-Zip because it gives you the option to decompress 31 different types of archive formats.
So here is how you can decompress files,
STEP 01
Right-click on the archived file– then go to 7-Zip—and then click on “Extract here.”
STEP 02
That’s it. The tool will extract the archive file in the same folder.
7-Zip Features
When it comes to compression and decompression (i.e., bundling and unbundling), it supports different types of other archival formats as well apart form 7z format.
So it supports for file formats such as ZIP, Gzip, bzip2, xz, tar and WIM, APM, ARJ, CHM, cpio, DEB, FLV, JAR, LHA/LZH, LZMA, MSLZ, Office Open XML, onepkg, RAR, RPM, smzip, SWF, XAR, CramFS, DMG, FAT, HFS, ISO, MBR, NTFS, SquashFS, UDF, and VHD disk images.
Even though it supports ZIPX format, you can use it only when you are decompressing files.
7-Zip can open certain types of MSI files as well. So it gives you the option to enter into metafiles apart from the main contents.
Further, the application has the ability to open some of the Microsoft CAB (LZX compression) and NSIS (LZMA) installer formats as well.
7-Zip may also open some of the Microsoft executables such as “.Exe” that has the ability to self-extract itself as archives.
Setup files may be a good example for the above point.
Therefore, it will extract itself internally. So you do not have to launch the setup file or the Installer to decompress them separately.
DEFLATE Encoder for Higher Compression
DEFLATE encoder feature of the 7-Zip can get you a higher compression rate when you are compressing into file formats such as ZIP or gzip files.
However, the compression speed may be lower when you compare the speed with zlib DEFLATE implementation.
If you need the deflate encoder implementation of 7-Zip, you can get it as a part of the AdvanceCOMP suite of the application.
The decompression program for RAR archives has developed based on the source code of the UNRAR program released by WinRAR.
However, there is a limitation placed by the WinRAR developer restricting the RAR compression by having a license for it.
Moreover, Version 5.06 and later versions support for extraction od RAR5 archives.
Some backup systems such as WordPress uses “.Tar” as an archiving format. So 7-Zip is capable of extracting such types of file formats as well.
7-Zip File Manager
The primary purpose of the 7-Zip tools is to use it as a file archiving tool. However, there is a file manager tool as well, along with the archiving tool.
So it has a toolbar with options such as,
- Creating archives
- Extracting archives
- Testing compressed files to detect errors
- Copy
- Move
- Delete
- Open up the 7-Zip exclusive properties menu.
When you are browsing files with 7-Zip, it does not have the same rules as Windows Explorer. Therefore you will find all the hidden files as well when you are exploring through 7-Zip file manager.
However, it has all the essential tabs for files to display their Name, Modification date, Original and Compressed sizes, attributes, and comments.
Further, when you are opening up the file manager, you can see all your removable devices and all the drives with a list of four options.
File Manager Options
- Computer – In this, you can see all your internal and external drives.
- Documents – this is the usual “My Documents” folder that you already know in the Windows Explorer.
- Network – It displays all your network connections.
- \\. – Same as your Windows explorer, you can get access to low-level NTFS drives. With this feature, you will have access to critical drive files and deleted files still existing on the drive.
However, access to active partitions is not allowed in low-level NTFS mode.
7-Zip gives you the option to split archival for different sizes of volumes. So you can have the option to transfer them into your flash drives and backup them or attach them to emails or any other way of transfer.
When you are using Windows Explorer for one purpose, sometimes you may need another file manager to operate some other work.
So at that time, you can use the File manager features of the 7-Zip.
Further, you can also allocate the CPU threading for the archival process as you prefer. You can allocate a minimum one CPU threading to maximum CPU threads available on your PC.
When there are corrupted file names, 7-Zip can fix the name and unbundle the archive file. So you do not have to worry about losing your valuable data.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes. it is a safe application and Techslott team has verified it with Virustotal technology.
Both are best file archiving tools. in certain instances, 7-Zip does better and in the same way, WinRAR also has the ability to do certain features better than any other tool.
Yes it can open any type of archived file including Rar format.
You just have to download the Windows version of the application and install it on your PC.
When you are using the portable version, you do not have to install the application. you can just get the job done virtually.
Select the files that you want to Zip and add it to archive in 7-Zip.
When you are adding files to archive, you will see a list of option to adjust including encryption. There you can add a password.
Right-Click of the file and go the 7-zip. then click on Extract. that’s it!
Go to the download section of this page and select android version of the download file.
You can either extract it to open files inside the archive or you can view the files inside archive without extracting it.