PeaZip compression benchmark was updated today with a Linux addendum. Gnome Archive Manager was added to utilities compared to PeaZip for compression ratio, and compression / extraction speed. Read more: peazip.github.io/peazip-compr...

PeaZip project grew over time, publishing (and often moving) online resources for almost 20 years. The Documentation page helps users to reach meaningful information: Issue Tracker to report bugs and feature requests, search CVE, find online Tutorial and FAQ, learn how to contribute translations...

It is sometimes needed to split files in smaller parts, or to span archives in multiple volumes smaller than a target size - attachment or file upload limitation, digital support size, etc. Learn how to create spanned files, and how to merge multi volume archives to extract content from all parts:

PeaZip language files are plain UTF-8 with BOM text files, which allows translations to work on all supported platforms. A text editor is all what it is needed to contribute, or update, a localization. Learn more:

It is sometimes needed to deal with unreadable archives. The most important step to try to recover access to file's content is to try to understand the cause of the issue. It may be due to a forgotten password, or random data corruption, or even to a maliciously forged archive. Read more:

While mainly focused on Open Source archive formats, PeaZip can optionally create RAR files from its own GUI, providing the correct CLI tools are installed in the system - either on Linux, macOS, or Windows. Read more about creating (or updating existing) RAR archives from PeaZip:

Self extracting archives are executable files containing both the compressed data and the required extraction routines. The recipient will not need an utility supporting the compression format, but only the ability to run the self extracting archive - and, of course, to trust the sender. Read more:

Zpaq is the evolution of PAQ project, an extremely powerful neural network based compressor, multiple times Hutter Prize winner. Zpaq (and the more recent Zpaqfranz project) adds journaling, AES-256 based encryption, and support for multi-threading. Read more about *PAQ compressors family:

PeaZip compression benchmark was updated today with a macOS addendum. Finder integrated zip tool was added to utilities compared to PeaZip for compression ratio, and compression / extraction speed. Read more:

PeaZip 10.6.1 is ready! This minor update introduces bugfixes, updated translations, and extensively reviews the binary components (executables, codecs, sfx modules) provided within packages. Read the full change log:

The updated PeaZip "Benchmarks" section is now available! peazip.github.io/peazip-compr...

The journey to improve PeaZip's GUI performances continued in 10.6.0 release, with the introduction of dynamic virtual mode for the file manager. Read more about the updated benchmark results: www.reddit.com/r/PeaZip/com...

PeaZip 10.6.0 is ready! The new release overhauls the file browser with virtual mode, improves archive pre-parsing, adds Settings search function. Non-Windows builds can now use alternative 7z fork to support additional codecs. Backed updated to 7z 25.01, Pea 1.26, and Zpaq is replaced by Zpaqfranz.

Brotli and Zstandard are relatively new fast and efficient data compression algorithms. Very flexible in design, both can provide performances ranging from very fast compression to slower one with high compression ratio, depending on the settings. This benchmark directly compares the two algorithms:

On all supported platforms, BSD, Linux, macOS, and Windows, PeaZip will automatically adapt if the system is set to dark mode. Please note that system colors may not be correctly passed if i.e. the system DE runs on a different widgetset than PeaZip, or if the app runs containerized or sandboxed.

When it is needed to update the content inside a (write-supported) archive, PeaZip offers the ability to: add new items to existing archives, delete files and folders from archives, edit archived files in place, and sync archived files with ones on disk. Read more:

PeaZip can now check NTFS Alternate Data Streams, including Zone.Identifier (Mark of The Web) to spot files originated on remote systems. Pea executable, part of PeaZip package, can batch scan multiple files/dirs for MoTW, and search SHA256 hash value online for possible match with known malware.

One of the main goals in 10.5.0 release was improving the performances of the file browser / archive browser component. Read more about how PeaZip 10.5.0 compares with the previous release: www.reddit.com/r/PeaZip/com...

PeaZip 10.5.0 is ready, compiled with Lazarus 4.0! The new release boosts archive browsing performances, and improves archive editing. On Windows are now available new tools for managing NTFS Alternate Data Streams. On macOS all browser styles and icon sizes are now available. Read the change log:

PeaZip is readily accessible from scripts, including tools intended for integration with system menus. In (peazip)/res/share/batch directory are available .desktop files, KDE service menus, Nautilus scripts (Linux), Automator .workflow (macOS service menus), and .reg files for W11 mini-context menu.

PeaZip UI can be thoroughly customized to fit users needs. Applying custom Themes it is possible replace app's icons, colors, and decorations. The Styles menu can change app's look & feel, modifying file manager's style and icon size, hiding or showing the navigation, tabs, and status bars.

Solid compression (available as option in some formats as 7z, rar) treats multiple input file as a single block. This provides the compression algorithm of a wider context, allowing to de-duplicate multiple copies of a file, or of a data sequence (e.g. common sections in multiple edits of a file).

PeaZip can create multiple separate archives at once, adding each input item (file or folder) into a different archive. The same feature can be used in archive conversion routine, converting each input archive (even of mixed formats) to a separate archive in the new format. Read more about how to:

A multi-part archive is a file spanned in a set of multiple volumes. To extract the entire set it is sufficient to start the extraction from the first volume, usually labelled with the lowest numbered extension (.001, .r01, .z01), providing all volumes are saved in the same directory. Read more:

Zstandard (.zst) is a pure compression format, accepting a single input file, or mutiple files / folders consolidated in a single container, e.g. in TAR format. It aims to supersede Deflate as general purpose compressor, with better speed and efficiency, and higher max compression ratio. Read more:

Next release of PeaZip will be built with Lazarus 4. Currently published source code can as well been compiled with latest Lazarus builds, while compatibility is retained with Lazarus 3 and 2. On macOS, the file manager will be available in Details, List, and Icons mode, with custom icon size.

WIM, Windows Imaging Format, is a container format developed by Microsoft which can be used for disk imaging, software distribution, backup and archiving. This format, primarily used on Windows,is focused in saving files' NT security descriptors and NTFS Alternate Data Streams metadata. Read more:

Lazarus IDE 4.0 is out! The new major version of the most prominent IDE for FreePascal, used for PeaZip (alongside many other projects), also brings substantial improvements for the Cocoa interface, which I hope to be able to translate into a better user experience for macOS users of PeaZip.

TAR format focuses on archiving data and metadata, excels for backup and content distribution on Unix-like systems, but can be used on any OS. Compression and encryption can be provided cascading additional steps, like compression as GZ, BZ2, XZ, Brotli, Zstd, or even PEA, ZIP or 7Z. Read more:

PeaZip can scan archives, or selected content inside archives, with locally installed antivirus software from "Open with" menu. As alternative, from "File tools" menu it is possible to search SHA256 hash values on Google or Virustotal for possible matches with known malicious payloads. Learn more:

It is sometimes needed to change, add or remove password from existing archive, either for routine security practices or due to password being compromised. PeaZip helps automating the task with "Change password" flag in archive conversion procedure, on single or multiple archives at once. Read more:

PeaZip 10.4.0 is ready! Under the hood, the new release if focused on fixes, smarter error management, and overall user experience improvements. The GUI now automatically adapts to Dark mode, and new .v6 Themes allows better integration with different system's look & feel. Read the full change log:

Data compression is often an arms race between maximum compression ratio, max speed, and efficient use of computing resources. Understanding the nature of the data being compressed, and some tips (solid compression, file spanning, ...) can help. Let's analyze some best practices for optimum results:

File spanning is splitting a file or archive in multiple volumes, smaller or equal to a target size, which can be merged back by the recipient. This allows the content to be sent or stored even exceeding the size limitation for the medium, e.g. max attachment size, 4GB exFAT file size... Learn more:

To detect data corruption, or intentional modification, it is possible to calculate the checksum or hash of a file against a known value - in example reputable download sources provide hash values which can be independently verified. Learn how to check CRC and hash values of files with PeaZip:

When choosing an archive format for large archival or backup projects, it is important to know its limitations - not only in terms of features but also as maximum size of archive, maximum size of input files, and maximum number of items in the archive:

In some occasions it is useful to convert existing archives in a different format, to move the content of legacy archives into a long term supported standard format like TAR or ZIP, or to improve the compression ratio of original data. Learn how to convert single or multiple archives with PeaZip:

Some archive formats (7Z, PEA, RAR, ZPAQ) allows to encrypt the names of files inside the archive. In this way it is not possible to list or browse the archive without providing the correct encryption password, preventing leaking info about the content. Learn how to use this useful security feature:

PeaZip 10.3.0 is ready! The new release improves handling of errors, browsing compressed TAR archives, integration with Gnome and KDE context menus, and introduces pre-set Styles to change the app's look&feel with a single click. Full change log:

PeaZip is built with Lazarus IDE, based on FreePascal, a modern Delphi-like object oriented Pascal language. Lazarus/FPC "write once compile anywhere" philosophy is what made possible to port PeaZip on multiple platforms and architectures - BSD, Linux, macOS, Windows. Learn more about Lazarus:

Evaluating the performances of a file archiver utility starts understanding the goals of the user. PeaZip benchmark pages analyze and compare performances of archive managers in different use-cases: fast compression, maximum compression, extraction and browsing speed, etc.

PeaZip works as scripting engine for multiple Open Source back-end compression tools (7z/p7zip, Brotli, Pea, Zpaq, Zstd...) and allows to export tasks defined in the GUI as CLI scripts, for batch re-use, further customization, or simply for learning purpose. Learn more about PeaZip CLI scripting!

PeaZip supports multiple encryption standards, and features optional two factor authentication using password (the element you know) and keyfile (the element you have) to improve resiliency against dictionary attacks. Learn more about how to create encrypted archives with PeaZip:

PEA is the archive format created alongside PeaZip, focusing on robust authenticated encryption and integrity checking. It is nowere as popular as formats like .7z or .zip, nor as feature-complete, anyway it offers some interesting features. You can find more on the specs page:

PeaZip 10.2.0 released today! The new release improves the detection of issues in archives, the support for archive comments, and for Brotli and Zstandard maximum compression levels. See the full changelog:

PeaZip Flatpak package was updated today to use Wayland by default (fallback to X11 is available). The current package is still built on Qt5 widgetset, and update to Qt6 is being tested. flathub.org/apps/io.gith...