Free up space with ease

PKZIP is a file compression software that allows you to shrink files in order to free up more disk space. Originally written by Phil Katz and his company, PKWARE, Inc., this system utility is designed for easy file archiving and data compression for any type of user. Additionally, it can be used to set up passwords on files and applies strong encryption on them to ensure their integrity when doing transfers. 

How do I open a PKZIP file?

First released back in 1989, PKZIP was the software to introduce the popular ZIP file format, an archive file format that supports lossless data compression. This file archiver is still considered one of the standards for file compression and management as it can reduce up to 95% of a file’s size. It can also handle large tasks and is able to compress more than 2 billion files in a single archive—even whopping file sizes of over 9 exabytes (EB).

It allows files to be easily and quickly moved between locations without losing precious metadata. Its cross-platform functionality—which makes it compatible with all major platforms—makes data transmissions much smoother, as well. Plus, you don’t have to worry about compressing different formats since it supports popular ones other than ZIP such as TAR, BZ2, GZ, UUE, XXE, and JAR. Conversely, it can also unzip and extract these file formats and more.

Is PKZIP free?

When it comes to interface design, PKZIP prioritizes being straightforward. The majority of the application window displays two blank panels: the navigation pane on the left and the file lists on the right. The top bars of the window contain the main feature tabs and menu bar. The Home tab, in particular, offers easy buttons to use: Add Files, Extract Files, Encrypt, Sign, View, and Email Archive. Similar to other file archiver software, it’s easy to use and the process is quick.

You should expect slow performance when dealing with bigger file batches sometimes, though. It can’t be avoided but this program at least still functions as it should and doesn’t crash often. Its encryption and password-protection are also quite reliable and it even supports a command-line UI. However, when compared to its competitors, it can easily fall behind due to the lack of some essential features.

One downside is that this tool only has a 30-day trial version when some of its rivals are free. You also need to fill a form first before getting the trial version’s download. It will ask for your personal information and reason for downloading—all of which are mandatory fields. The premium version of the program offers subscription plans and also promotes SecureZIP, the enterprise version of PKZIP. 

Still a great alternative

All in all, PKZIP is a good choice if you’re looking for a capable file compression tool. While it falls behind when compared to some of its rivals, its features work well enough for anyone who wants long-term data compression and extract that offers high-grade security and easy file transfers. The trial version download should be easier to grab, though, since it’s supposed to be for testing most of the time.

PKZIP allows you to free up more disk space and keep email attachments under size limits by compressing your files. The program shrinks files by up to 95 percent to improve email performance and create more storage space. You can also use PKZIP to set passwords to protect your important documents, giving you complete control over who can access your valuable information.

Core features of the program:

• Easy-to-use interface

• Command-line add-on for scripting unattended processes

• Support for large files – greater than 4GB

• Create .zip, .bz2, .tar, .gz, .uue, .xxe, and .jar archives

• Unzip .zip, .rar, .bz2,.tar, .gz, .jar, .uue, .xxe and more