File compression is a way to archive, and reduce file size on a PC and with the best file compression software installed on your Windows or macOS PC, you’ll be able to compress files and archive them into different file outputs.
File compression software has been around longer than you can imagine and they’re software that lets you reduce the size of a folder or file by compressing and archiving the folder to either reduce storage consumption or make the file easier for you to send to another user.
If you’re reading this article, you’re about to find out about the best file compression software for PC. We’ve curated the best tools to compress files and folders for you if you have one installed on your PC. You’ll be able to compress and also extract archived files and folders.
Best File Compression Software for PC
When sourcing out software to extract or compress files on PC, there are a lot of great options online but most times they’re either limited to maximum features and you have to upgrade to a premium plan in order to enjoy their full functionalities, but that’s not the case with most of the software listed in this article.
All file compression software that is listed below is free to download, you can compress & extract with them for free but some features require upgrading and it’s sometimes optional.
1. WinRAR
One of the best file compression software you should consider having on your PC is WinRAR and it’s a very popular software that has been around for a while.
With WinRAR, you can compress files and at the same time extract files, it’s a tool that has a lot of features and when it comes to compressing files with WinRAR, you can compress files and covert them into different archive formats like RAR, ZIP and so on.
Another thing that has made WinRAR so popular is that it’s very fast, it’s a tool that’ll help you save more space, you can archive files and split them into different volumes, WinRAR also provides maximum security option when compressing files, and it allows users to use a 256-bit password to protect compressed files, it’s one of the best software you can use to compress files on PC.
2. 7-Zip
7-Zip is also very popular and over the years, it has been an amazing software to compress different types of files and folders on PC. There are a lot of reasons why you’ll prefer using 7-Zip and one of the things you have to put in mind, is that 7-Zip is open-source, it’s free and also one of the fastest file compressing tools on PC.
If you want to compress files or folders, 7-Zip has multiple options regarding file compression and it is mostly known to support most formats like 7z, GZIP, XZ and BZIP2
7-Zip is perfectly integrated with Windows Shell and it comes with its dedicated file manager that’ll let you manage files easily on your PC. If you’re looking for a top file compressing tool to use for free, it’s 7-Zip.
3. WinZip
When it comes to using a utility tool to compress, encrypt and save up space on a PC, WinZip is one of the most popular tools in that aspect and there are plenty of reasons why most windows users love using WinZip.
Firstly, it’s free, it supports all known file formats and it’s a tool that can easily be integrated with cloud storage like Google Drive, Dropbox, Microsoft One Drive and many more.
If you want to compress files easily on your PC, WinZip is one of the best tools you can use, you can archive files and protect them using high encryption methods.
4. iZip Unarchiver
iZip Unarchiver is a file-compressing tool for macOS users and it’s one of the safest and fastest file extractors for mac users. It offers a lot of features, from good extraction and compression speed to supporting over 30 known major file formats.
iZip Unarchiver has a simple user interface and as a first-timer, you’ll find your way around iZip Unarchiver.
iZip Unarchiver offers multiple ways of extracting archives files and in the same way, it offers multiple ways of compressing files and folders, it’s outstanding software for compression and it’s one of the best for macOS users.
5. PeaZip
PeaZip is another open-source file compression and archiver tool for PC users, this software is supported on most OS like macOS, Linux and Windows. It’s one of the few file-compressing tools that support more than 100 different file formats, it has great features and is also very easy to use.
With PeaZip, you can archive files by splitting them into multiple sections, you can encrypt files, and there’s also an option to use 2FA on your files. PeaZip is one of them if you’re looking for the best file compression software for your Windows or macOS PC.
6. ZipGenius
ZipGenius is only available for Windows users only, it’s an easy-to-use file compressor that makes compressing files easy.
Archiving files is also very fast with ZipGenius and while it doesn’t support many file compression formats, it does one thing and that is the ability to browse through disc images like ISO and CSO easily. If you want to compress files faster on your PC, ZipGenius is one of the best tools to use.
ZipGenius also offer file encryption and it uses a CZIP encryption system to protect user data. It’s a very fast and also lightweight tool, it’s a good software to use on Windows Operating System.
7. Commander One
Software like Commander One is arguably the best option for macOS users who want to extract, compress, share and manage big files on their PC. This tool is free and it’s one of the most popular file compression software for macOS users.
With Commander One, you can extract and compress files easily, it’s a tool with cool features like the dual-plane, built-in search function and also comes with cloud storage integration.
8. IZArc
IZArc offers the best way to compress and decompress files on a PC, it’s a free tool that is available to all Windows users who are looking for an easier way to compress files and manage space on their PC.
IZArc is lightweight and it offers features like Unzip and encryption, it uses the 256-bit AES encryption method, it supports different file formats like ISO, ZIP BIN and 7-Zip.
If you want to compress files easily on your Windows PC, IZArc is one of the best file compression software you might consider using. It has the best features, it’s also very easy to use as a first-timer.
Conclusion
Overall, these are the best file compression software for Windows and macOS users, these software all have great features, if you want to compress or decompress files easily, all you have to do is download them on your PC and you’re good to go.
