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To password-protect files with 7-Zip on Windows, select them in File Explorer, right-click and choose 7-Zip > Add to archive…, then set a password and encryption method in the dialog. Choose 7z and enable Encrypt file names if the contents and filenames should both be concealed. For a ZIP file, explicitly choose AES-256 rather than the legacy ZipCrypto option.
Choose the format before creating the archive
The format affects both compatibility and what someone can see without the password. 7-Zip documents AES-256 encryption for both 7z and ZIP, but filename encryption is a 7z header option.
| Format | Encryption choice | Filename visibility | Best fit |
|---|---|---|---|
| 7z | AES-256, as described in the 7z format documentation. | Select Encrypt file names to encrypt archive headers, including names. | Use when concealing the file listing matters and recipients can open 7z archives. |
| ZIP | Select AES-256 in the dialog; ZIP also offers ZipCrypto, which the dialog documentation identifies as the broad-compatibility option. | Do not assume the names are hidden. The documented filename-encryption option is for 7z. | Use when ZIP compatibility is required; choose AES-256 when stronger encryption is the goal. |
The format and dialog options are documented in the 7-Zip Add to Archive guide and the Add to Archive dialog reference. A password alone does not tell you which ZIP encryption method was selected, so check the method explicitly.
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Create a password-protected archive in Windows
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Install 7-Zip from its official download page. At the time of the listed release, the page identifies version 26.04, dated 2026-10-05, and provides Windows x64, x86 and ARM64 installers. It also lists Linux and macOS console builds; the graphical steps below are for Windows.
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In File Explorer, select the files or folder to protect. Right-click the selection and choose 7-Zip > Add to archive….
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In the dialog, enter a destination and archive name, then choose 7z or ZIP under Archive format.
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Under Encryption, enter the password in both password fields. Use the Show Password control if you need to check what you typed. Set Encryption method to AES-256. For 7z, the documented method is AES-256; for ZIP, select it instead of ZipCrypto if stronger encryption is your priority.
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If you chose 7z and want to hide filenames as well as file contents, select Encrypt file names. A password without this option should not be treated as concealing the archive listing.
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Select OK to create the archive. Reopen the new archive before sending it or removing the originals.
The named controls and workflow are described in the dialog reference; labels can vary by software version.
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Choose and handle the password carefully
Use a strong, unique password and retain it somewhere secure. 7-Zip’s 7z format documentation says its key derivation uses SHA-256 and many iterations to increase the cost of exhaustive password searches. That design does not make a weak password safe, and the documentation does not establish a recovery method for a forgotten password.
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Before relying on the archive, open it and confirm that 7-Zip prompts for the password. If hiding filenames is important, check the archive with a copy and confirm that its listing is concealed without entering the password. Treat this as a practical check of the particular archive, not a guarantee about every program that may handle it.
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A password-protected archive is not a substitute for keeping a secure copy of the password. If it is lost, the cited 7-Zip documentation does not provide a recovery path.
What the encryption claim does—and does not—mean
7-Zip’s format documentation describes AES-256 encryption and a SHA-256-based, many-iteration key derivation process. These are technical specifications, not a promise that an archive is impossible to crack or an independent security evaluation. Avoid describing an archive as unbreakable: practical protection also depends on password strength and choosing the intended encryption and filename settings.
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