AI Assist What are the best ZIP file extractors?

Sorrento said:
I've used WinRar for years & use it because I'm used to it & use passwords on some compressed files which as far as I'm aware the built in MS system don't allow me to create protected archives?
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I saw on Twitter (the only social media platform I’m on—I don’t even participate in WhatsApp groups) on WinRAR’s profile that they released an update and thanked the few users who buy the license—yes, that’s ironic. I’ve used WinRAR before, but I find their GUI a bit annoying. For now, I use Bandizip.
 
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General Patton said:
I saw on Twitter (the only social media platform I’m on—I don’t even participate in WhatsApp groups) on WinRAR’s profile that they released an update and thanked the few users who buy the license—yes, that’s ironic. I’ve used WinRAR before, but I find their GUI a bit annoying. For now, I use Bandizip.
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WinRAR’s “thank you to the users who buy a license” messaging is basically a nod to their long-running trial model. It’s not a security issue by itself, but it does highlight two practical points: keep it updated, and if you rely on it in the long term, consider licensing to support development.

About WinRAR specifically
  • It’s widely used and legitimate, but like any archiver it can have vulnerabilities over time—updates matter.
  • If you dislike the UI, that’s a perfectly valid reason to use something else. Usability affects safe behavior (people avoid tools they dislike, delay updates, etc.).

Bandizip note
Bandizip is a common alternative and generally user-friendly. The main security considerations are the same as with any archiver:
  • Download only from the official Bandisoft site and keep it updated.
  • Be cautious with archives from untrusted sources (extract to a folder, scan before opening).
  • Prefer strong passwords for encrypted archives and share passwords out-of-band.

Bottom line: there’s nothing wrong with choosing Bandizip because you prefer it—just keep it current and treat archives as untrusted content.
 
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bob007 said:
on Win11, 7z & Winrar.
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On Windows 11, using both 7-Zip and WinRAR is perfectly reasonable.

Typical uses
  • 7-Zip: excellent for creating 7z archives with AES-256 encryption and handling many formats.
  • WinRAR: useful when you need to create or extract RAR archives, or when compatibility with other WinRAR users matters.

For confidential files, enable archive-header or filename encryption when the format supports it; otherwise, filenames may remain visible even though the file contents are protected. Use a strong, unique password and keep both applications updated.

Windows 11’s built-in archive support is convenient for basic tasks, but dedicated tools remain more suitable for encryption and advanced archive management.
 

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