Version History
WinZip® 12.1 introduces the new extended Zip file (.zipx), the next step in the evolution of the Zip file format. By using advanced compression methods to create Zipx files, WinZip 12.1 creates WinZip's smallest Zip files to date. Additionally, the Zip and E-Mail functions have been enhanced in WinZip 12.1 to allow users to take advantage of the image resize feature in WinZip.
WinZip 12.0 includes new solutions for photo compression, management, and sharing. WinZip's lossless JPEG compression can compress JPEG file sizes by 20% to 25% without any loss in photo quality or data integrity. Send Selected Files and Resize make it easy to share files with others. The WinZip 12 Pro Edition includes the new Zip from Camera that transfers photos from supported digital cameras and compresses them directly in a Zip file. When zipping from cameras that support orientation tags, WinZip Pro even "auto-rotates" photos so they are correctly oriented in the Zip file.
In addition to Jpeg compression, LZMA compression has been added for better compression performance for most file types. Also, read and extract support for 7Z, ISO and IMG formats is now available.
The new password policy feature makes it possible to specify settings for the minimum length and the types of characters used for passwords. For WinZip Pro users, the MSI installation can be customized to set password complexity and to control the types of encryption available to users.
WinZip 12 also delivers an improved user experience with various enhancements and refinements that make it easier to learn and use WinZip. Enhancements to usability include Smart View, the new Encrypted column in Details View, Send To for Selected Files, New Folder, Rename and Save As.
An improved Zip Properties dialog now displays a report showing graphically how much space is saved by compressing the added files and provides other useful information such as the number of files in the archive, the percentage of compression, and whether the files are encrypted.
WinZip 11.2 is an updated version of our most recent major release—WinZip 11.0— that adds Unicode support to ensure international characters are displayed for filenames in a Zip file. WinZip 11.2 also includes newly integrated support for LHA to create, open and extract LHA archives (.LHA and .LZH), eliminating the need for a third-party DOS program. There are also minor bug fixes and product enhancements.
Support for DOS-based, third-party programs such as ARJ, ARC and LHA has been removed.
Unicode support requires that the Zip file be created and opened with a zip utility that supports the Unicode extensions to the Zip file format such as WinZip 11.2.
Note: Zip files created with Microsoft® Windows® 2000, Windows XP, or Windows Vista® as Compressed Folders do not support Unicode extensions to the Zip file format.
WinZip 11.1 is an updated version of our most recent major release—WinZip 11.0—and is certified for Microsoft Windows Vista. In addition to the great features introduced in WinZip 11.0, WinZip 11.1 includes: Certified for Windows Vista designation, Vista toolbar and program icons, Vista explorer-style user interface, support for 64-bit Windows Vista and Windows XP as well as 32-bit Windows Vista, Windows XP, and Windows 2000, and MSI packaged for customized installation.
WinZip 11.0 reinforces our commitment to helping our wide range of users work smarter, safer and faster by introducing features that streamline work processes that occur before and after the actual task of zipping and unzipping files. Highlights of WinZip 11.0 Standard and Pro include practical image handling through thumbnails, more efficient compression, and support for RAR and BZ2 files. WinZip 11.0 Pro also includes a new internal image viewer for viewing full-sized images in a Zip file and enhanced data backup functionality.
WinZip 10.0 continues to add improved compression technology that creates even smaller Zip files. It also offers users a new Explorer-style view, making it easier to manage large, multi-folder Zip files. Other enhancements include the ability to create split (multi-volume) Zip files during compression, automatic update checking, and support for the Windows XP SP2 Attachment Manager, which helps users protect their computers by warning them of files that might be dangerous to open.
WinZip 10.0 Pro includes the WinZip Job Wizard, a powerful new tool that offers predefined data backup jobs and allows users to create Zip "jobs" that automate almost any repetitive zipping task, including custom-made daily data backups, periodic reporting, and off-site storage. Users can also move valuable data off site by using the included FTP functionality.
WinZip 10.0 Pro also allows users to create Zip files directly on CDs and DVDs. This eliminates the need to zip to a hard drive and then transfer the files to CD or DVD. Large Zip files will automatically span multiple CDs/DVDs, as necessary.
Improvements in WinZip 9.0 concentrate on its core functionality: compression, capacity, and a new, advanced data-encryption capability. WinZip 9.0 supports the "enhanced deflate" compression method, the 64-bit extensions to the Zip file format to handle files larger than 4 GB, and offers 128- and 256-bit key AES encryption.
WinZip 8.1 continued to enhance integration with Windows Explorer and added the WinZip Quick Pick taskbar tray icon. Among the other new features were support for split Zip files, extensive support for Windows XP features, Zip file comments up to 64KB, and support for the multi-byte character sets used with some Asian languages.
Among the features introduced in WinZip 8.0 are an enhanced WinZip Wizard, a more Windows-like interface, support for desktop themes and screen savers on Windows 95/98/NT, and "Zip and E-Mail" support in the Windows Explorer context menu.
Among the features introduced in WinZip 7.0 are support for Microsoft's CAB (cabinet) format, including most self-extracting CAB files, sizable, sortable, and selectable columns in the main window, a configurable toolbar with 21 toolbar buttons, and improved configuration using a tabbed dialog box.
WinZip 6.3 included an updated zip/unzip engine with automatic built-in disk spanning for multi-disk Zip files. It also featured an interface to the new Internet Browser Support Add-On, which allows users to download and open archives from the Internet with one click via Microsoft's Internet Explorer and Netscape Navigator.
WinZip 6.2 added support for MIME, UUencoded, XXencoded, and BinHex files, the Favorite Zip Folders, built-in encryption, and includes WinZip Self-Extractor Personal Edition.
The main new feature in WinZip 6.1 is the WinZip Wizard, an easy to use way to unzip and to install software distributed in Zip files using the standardized and familiar "wizard" interface.
WinZip 6.0a introduced improved Windows 95 drag-and-drop support. WinZip 6.0 added many Windows 95 features, including tight integration with the Windows 95 shell and Explorer-style dialog boxes.
WinZip 5.6 added support for the popular Internet file formats TAR and gzip.
WinZip 5.5 (16-bit version only) added the ability to install, try, and UNINSTALL software distributed in Zip files. This feature runs the install program in a Zip file, gives you a chance to try the program, and optionally deletes any new files, icons, program groups, and restores any altered INI files. Note: the install, try, and uninstall function is no longer available in later versions of WinZip.