To compress files with 7-Zip on Windows, select the files or folder in File Explorer, open 7-Zip’s Add to archive dialog, choose a destination and archive format, then confirm. Choose 7z for its compression and encryption features, or ZIP when broad compatibility matters more. The size reduction depends on the files and settings; there is no reliable fixed percentage for every job.
Install 7-Zip
Download 7-Zip from the official download page. As of October 4, 2026, the site lists version 26.03, released September 3, 2026, for Windows. 7-Zip is free; its site says registration and payment are not required. The downloads page also lists console builds for Linux and macOS, but the click-by-click instructions below are for Windows.
Create an archive in File Explorer
- Select what to compress. In File Explorer, select one or more files, or select a folder. Adding a folder normally includes its subfolders; you do not need a command-line recursion option for this graphical workflow.
- Open the archive dialog. Use the 7-Zip command in the selection’s context menu to open the Add to archive dialog. Menu wording and placement can vary by installed release and Windows context-menu layout.
- Set the name and destination. In the dialog, choose a filename and where the archive should be saved. Check that the proposed name and location are the ones you want before creating it.
- Choose a format. Select 7z or ZIP using the guidance below. 7-Zip can create both formats.
- Choose a compression level. The default is a sensible starting point for ordinary files. Higher or more specialized settings may take more time, and results vary with the content and options.
- Set a password if needed. Use the dialog’s encryption controls if available for the chosen format. 7z supports AES-256 encryption; exact control labels can vary by version. Share the password through a secure channel, separately from the archive when practical.
- Create and verify the archive. Confirm the dialog, then check the chosen destination for the resulting archive and confirm its name and extension.
Choose between 7z and ZIP
| Format | Use it when | What to know |
|---|---|---|
| 7z | You want the features 7-Zip emphasizes, such as high compression, solid compression, Unicode filenames, or AES-256 encryption, and recipients can open 7z files. | Recipients need compatible software. Do not assume every built-in operating-system archive utility can open an encrypted 7z archive. |
| ZIP | You are sharing files with people who may not have 7-Zip and compatibility is the priority. | 7-Zip can create and unpack ZIP files. The exact compression achieved still depends on the input and settings. |
7-Zip’s homepage claims its ZIP and GZIP compression ratios are 2–10% better than PKZip and WinZip. That is the vendor’s comparison, not an independent benchmark or a prediction for your files. In practice, already-compressed material—such as many media formats—may shrink little, while other content can behave differently.
Keep the folder structure you intend
7-Zip stores relative paths rather than drive-letter-prefixed paths. If the archive should contain a particular folder hierarchy, start from a suitable common parent folder and select the relative paths you want represented. Adding a folder normally includes its descendants, so the command-line -r option is not needed for the File Explorer method.
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Why the archive size can vary
Compression depends on what is inside the files and on the chosen settings. For a normal job, start with the default settings rather than expecting a promised reduction. The 7-Zip FAQ notes that dictionary choices and sorting affect archive size; sorting files by type may improve the ratio in some cases, but can slow some operations on hard drives. Treat these as advanced tuning options, not guaranteed ways to shrink every archive.
Command-line details that prevent common mistakes
If you are using 7-Zip’s command-line tools rather than File Explorer, two details can change what gets archived:
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*.*selects files with an extension; it does not mean every file. To include files without extensions, use*or omit the wildcard, as appropriate for the command.- The
-roption searches descendants of the current path. It is not a general requirement for adding a folder, and may search a broader path than intended.
These command-line notes do not change the graphical steps above. For platform-specific installation details, the official downloads page distinguishes its current Windows releases from p7zip, which it describes as an older, independent Linux/Unix port.
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