Space is needed everywhere in today’s world, and computer files are no exception to that rule, which is why the archive file formats came into being. Archive files store multiple files in your computer as one file, keeping the relationship between them the same as the original version— with easier portability and storage. Approximately 250 or more archive file formats are widely used on the web.
According to OnlineConvert.com, one of the most versatile archive files is the 7 Zip. This format was released in 1999 by Igor Pavlov.
It was created primarily for Windows, and the official 7 Zip file opener isn’t available for Mac yet. Nevertheless, to know how you can surpass this hurdle and open 7z files on Mac, click setapp.com.
Features Of 7 Zip File Format
- Completely free.
- Can compress multiple files.
- Based on an open-source format.
- Can split one archive file into smaller chunks.
- It can be localized in 87 languages.
- Has a high compression ratio compared to other file formats.
- Available in a lightweight command line.
- Provides 256-bit AES encryption support.
- Compresses files approximately up to 264 bytes in size.
- Can be Integrated with Windows Shell.
- Supported formats: Packing/ Unpacking – 7z, XZ, BZIP2, GZIP, TAR, ZIP, and WIM formats.
Installing 7 Zip On Windows 11
To download and install 7z in Windows 11, follow these steps:
- First, open the 7-zip.org website in a web browser.
- Choose the 7-zip version you wish to download.
- Click the ‘Download’ link to download the setup file.
- Open File Explorer.
- Navigate to the folder where you downloaded the 7-zip setup file.
- Double-click on it to install.
- Click “Yes” when User Account Control asks permission.
- A new 7-Zip Setup window will ask where you want to install the program.
- Click the three small dots (…) to change the directory.
- Select the destination folder.
- Hit the ‘Install’ button to install it in the default folder.
- Click “Close” once the installation is complete.
Setting Up 7 Zip On Windows 11
First, you need to set the 7 Zip application as the default program for opening and creating archive files in your Windows 11. Only then can you start using it. To do that:
- After installing 7z according to the steps mentioned above, search ‘7-Zip’ in the Windows search.
- Select it as administrator by clicking “Run as administrator.”
- Click ‘Yes’ for User Account Control permission.
- Go to “Tools” in the 7z application.
- Select “Options.”
- Go to the System tab.
- Click the first ‘+’ button to make 7-Zip the default archiver for all archive types for the current user.
- Click the second ‘+’ button to make this app default for all users.
- Then, click ‘Apply’ to save the configurations.
- Press ‘OK’ to close the dialog.
Compressing And Extracting Files Using 7 Zip On Windows 11
To compress files:
- Select one or multiple files you want to archive in the File Explorer or Desktop.
- Right-click on the selection.
- Select ‘Show more options.
- Hover over the ‘7-Zip.’
- Select ‘Add to filename.zip’ or ‘Add to filename.7z’ for quick compression.
- If you want to split the archive into several parts, set the file size in the ‘Split to volumes, bytes:’ setting. Once you’re done configuring the settings, click ‘OK’ to start the compression.
To extract files:
- Select the archive files that you want to extract
- Select the first file of split archives if you have split archives files.
- Right-click and select the ‘Open’ option with the 7z logo.
- Click the ‘Extract’ button.
- Select a destination folder by clicking the browse button in the Copy dialog box. It will show you the folder where the archive resides as the destination.
- Click the ‘OK’ button to start extracting files.
Encrypting And Extracting A File With Password Protection Using 7 Zip In Windows 11
You can also put a password to protect your confidential files with 7z. It encrypts with the AES-256 algorithm, one of the most potent versions of AES. Without the correct password, there is no way to decrypt the files. To encrypt a file:
- Select the file(s) or folder that you want to encrypt.
- Right-click on them, select 7-Zip and click the ‘Add to archive’ option.
- Choose a name and destination for the encrypted file in the dialog box.
- Select the Archive Format as ‘zip’ or ‘7z’.
- Next, enter and reenter your password under the Encryption section.
- Ensure that the ‘AES-256’ option is selected from the Encryption method drop-down.
- Click ‘OK’ to start the compression.
To open the encrypted file:
- Right-click the encrypted archive file.
- Select ‘Open.’
- Enter the password.
- Click ‘OK” to see its contents.
To extract the file:
- Right-click and select ‘Show more options.
- Open the 7-Zip menu items.
- Choose an option to extract the files.
- Enter the password to start the extraction.
Now that you have got the complete guide on how to use 7 Zip on Windows 11, you can say goodbye to all your archiving troubles!
