Transmission of larger files can be a pain when we want to share them over the Internet. Compression of large files can take up disk space, thus making the hard disk full. File compression can be useful if you are running out of disk space or want to share files on social media networks or messaging sites.
The main purpose of compression is to allow sending files over a bandwidth-limited connection without manipulating the quality of the original. The smaller the file size, the faster the delivery. compression software can do this for you. In addition to compression, it can directly share your files with multiple recipients and perform file encryption with passwords.
So, in this article we have compiled a list of the 7 best easy-to-use & highly flexible software to compress files on Windows and Mac.
7 Best Free File Compression Software
There are many free file compression software available if you want to compress files. However, choosing the best of the lot can be a time-consuming task. Because each software supports different file archive formats and offers different features. The following is a list of file compression software that is also easy to use & very flexible.
1. WinZip
WinZip needs no introduction as it is one of the most popular file compression software used by several people. You can compress, protect, share and decompress your files efficiently. This software has banking-grade encryption and also provides the feature to connect multiple cloud storage accounts such as Google Drive, OneDrive and Dropbox.
One of the main features of WinZip is ZipSend which allows you to copy large files and send them as attachments in the mail. However, one of the drawbacks of WinZip is that it is only compatible with the Windows platform.
Considering its features and ease of use, WinZip is one of the best file compression software that you can use.
Supported Formats: zip, tar, gzip, cab, rar, 7z, IMG, ISO, XZ, VHD, VMDK, lha/lzh.
2. WinRAR
WinRAR is another utility tool used by several people. It is recommended to compress multimedia files using this software because it automatically selects the best compression method. While other compression tools can only extract RAR files, WinRAR creates RAR files.
You can compress batch files using WinRAR with solid archive box feature. In addition to 256-bit AES encryption, WinRAR also offers features for splitting archives into separate volumes, repair of corrupted archives, and support for long file names.
On the downside, the WinRAR interface is very inconvenient, especially for those new to file compression software. Also, if you prefer to use the free trial version of the software, you will be constantly presented with pop-ups to buy the paid version.
Supported Formats: RAR, CAB, ZIP, UUE, Z, ACE, ARJ, 7-ZIP, and TAR.
3. 7-zip
7-zip is a popular open-source file compression software that has a high compression ratio. If your priority is compressing files and keeping the file size to a minimum, 7-zip will be your ideal choice. 7-zip is free software to use because it is open-source.
With strong AES-256 encryption and useful features such as an integrated file manager, integration with Windows Shell, self-extracting capabilities for the 7z format and a plugin for FAR manager, 7-zip is widely used in business and commercial sectors. One of the advantages of 7-zip over other compression software is that it is free to use.
Supported Formats: Packing/ unpacking – 7z, XZ, BZIP2, GZIP, TAR, ZIP and WIM. Unpacking only – AR, ARJ, CAB, CHM, CPIO, CramFS, DMG, EXT, FAT, GPT, HFS, IHEX, ISO, LZH, LZMA, MBR, MSI, NSIS, NTFS, QCOW2, RAR, RPM, SquashFS, UDF , UEFI, VDI, VHD, VMDK, WIM, XAR and Z.
4. PeaZip
If you often work with ZIP files, PeaZip is a compression tool that you should try. This free file compression software handles file compression and archiving very easily. Supporting more than 150 different formats, PeaZip also packs some additional features such as an encrypted password manager, two-factor authentication, finding duplicate files, splitting archives into multiple files and scheduling archiving.
PeaZip has many powerful features that you may need if you want to compress different types of files with limited resources.
Supported Formats: 7z, Google Android’s apk, bz, bz2, bzip2, tbz2, tbz, gz, gzip, tgz, tpz, tar, zip, zipx, z01, smzip, arj, cab, chm, chi, chq, chw, hxs, hxi, hxr, hxq, hxw, lit, cpio, deb, lzh, lha, rar, r01, 00, rpm, z, taz, tz, iso, java(jar, ear, war), pet, pup, pack, pk3, pk4 , slp, [Content]xpi, wim, u3p, lzma86, lzma, udf, xar, Apple’s dmg, hfs, part1, split, swm, tpz, kmz, xz, txz, vhd, mslz, apm, mbr, fat, ntfs, exe, etc, sys, msi, msp, Open Office / Libre Office (ods, ots, odm, oth, oxt, odb, odf, odg, otg, odp, otp, odt, ott), gnm, Microsoft Office (doc, dot, xls, xlt, ppt, pps, pot, docx, dotx, xlsx, xltx), Flash(swf, flv), quad, balz, bcm, zpaq, paq8f, paq8jd, paq8l, paq8o, lpaq1, lpaq5, lpaq8.
5. Zipware
Zipware is another great file compression program for the Windows platform. It supports almost all major archive formats and can easily handle small as well as large archive files. With Zipware, you can create password protected archive files, perform archiving functions directly from Windows Explorer and can convert popular archive formats to 7z and Zip.
This software also gives you the option to split the archive into different volumes as per your requirement. Apart from that, Zipware also comes with a password manager to store and manage your passwords.
Supported Formats: ZIP,ZIPX,7Z,RAR,RAR5,ISO,VHD,MSI,GZIP,BZIP2,TAR,CPIO,DEB,DMG,LZH,LZMA,LZMA2,PPMd,NSIS,RPM,UDF,WIM,XAR,XPI,CBR, CBZ,XZ,Z
6. Hamster Zip Archiver
If you want a file compression software that is easy to use and also performs advanced compression operations then Hamster Zip Archiver should be your ideal choice. This free software supports all popular formats and its drag-and-drop interface makes it easy for even noobs to compress files.
In addition, integration with cloud services such as Google Drive, Dropbox, and Yandex Disk makes it quite popular among other compression software. However, Hamster Zip Archiver is only available for the Windows platform.
Supported Formats: zip, 7z, arj, bz2, tbz, gzip, deb, dmg, img, gz, tgz, hfs, lzh, rmp, pkg, z, taz, cab, iso, rar, tar, wim, swm and jar.
7. Express Zip File Compression
Express Zip File Compression Software by NCH Software is an intuitive and efficient software for file compression. The free version is intended for home and basic users to perform tasks related to everyday file compression such as zipping, unzipping files, compressing files for email transmission, opening compressed files with data archive formats such as RAR, TAR, 7Z, and CAB. .
You can use this software to compress and reduce the size of the files that you want to share with your family and friends.
Supported Formats: .zip,.zipx,.rar,.tar,.tgz,.tar.gz,.gz,.gzip,.7z,.cab,.iso,.img,.dmg,.arj,.jar,.bz2, .tar.bz2,.tar.xz,.wim,.xz,.z,.bkz,.nco,.apk,.lzh,.pkpass,Multidisk (.zip.00x), and Multidisk (.7z.001)
How to Compress Files?
The ideal file compression software is the one that is the easiest to use and should be equipped with a wide range of features including excellent compression rates, the ability to convert files into multiple formats, and most importantly capable of extracting a wide variety of file types.
In all the software that I have mentioned above, the way to compress files is almost the same. In this example I explain how to compress files using WinZip.
Step 1- Download WinZip and launch this software on your PC.
Step 2- Go to file panel and select the file you want to zip from your system/network or cloud service.
Step 3- Click on the option that says, Add to Zip.
Step 4- Now go to Action panel and look for options Save as.
Step 5- After you click on Save as, select the location where you want to save it.
Step 6- Done.
Choosing the best file compression software | While choosing the best software for file compression, you have to consider certain points like the supported file formats, the operating system you want to work with and the compression rate.
Apart from these compression tools, there are several online tools also available which can help you to zip and unzip files and folders. However, there is always a risk in uploading your file to the server especially if it contains sensitive data.
