When it comes to working with formats like ZIP, RAR or other archives, most users end up with 7-Zip or WinRAR. Both are great tools, but the free tool PeaZip, which is also powerful, is often overlooked. Wrongly as we think, because the software shines with great features. Now PeaZip has received a big update.
What do ZIP, DEB, RAR, 7Z and TAR.GZ have in common? Right, all of these file types are compressed archives that have to be extracted. Many programs can do this, including the classics WinRAR and 7-Zip, but not all of these tools can cope with every format. The open source software PeaZip is not new on the market, but has been established for around 15 years. It supports 218 different file formats and offers a lot of additional features on top of that. If you've never used the program before, now is a good time.
Version 8 of PeaZip is now available for download. In addition to minor cosmetic changes to the surface (icons, style menu), the creators have mainly worked under the hood, for example on the management of the various container types, the processing of the TAR format or the scripting functions. The in-house archive format PEA is included in a new version, which also runs in the background and can interact with other programs. The search and password generator have also been given new features. A detailed overview of all changes can be found in the manufacturer's changelog , we show you the most important features here.
PeaZip 8: The Packer Tool can do that
PeaZip also analyzes files or irretrievably deletes them if desired.
The installation of PeaZip or the start of the portable version provokes an unsightly warning message from Windows Defender. Don't let that confuse you, it's just because the software isn't signed. You can still use the packer without hesitation. When installing, select the German interface. In the portable version, you can do this via "Options / Settings".
You can open and search through packed archives with PeaZip and of course unzip them at the push of a button. All of this works via the clear interface or via a shortcut in the context menu of the Explorer. Have you received an archive file that cannot be unpacked using Windows tools? Then PeaZip can almost certainly solve your problem. It opens rare formats such as DEB or PAQ, but also common ones such as ZIP, 7ZIP, RAR or ISO.
Of course, you can also easily create your own archives with PeaZip. If you want to be on the safe side, you can generate a key file in addition to the usual password - the archive cannot be unpacked without it. Special extra: The tool supports different skins and can be optically adapted to your wishes, for example in the color and transparency of the user interface.
With PeaZip you can analyze archives, repair broken ARC or RAR files, calculate checksums or securely delete files. How PeaZip fares against WinRAR and 7-Zip in terms of working speed, the makers have determined in extensive benchmarks .