WinZip Self-Extractor

Create Self-Extracting Zip files. Allows the recipient to use a familiar Windows interface to decompress files without a separate unzip utility.
WinZip Self-Extractor creates self-extracting Zip files. These self-extracting Zip files are ideal for electronic file distribution, because they contain multiple compressed files, minimizing download time and ensuring that important files do not become separated.

Additionally, WinZip Self-Extractor allows the recipient to use a familiar Windows interface to decompress files without a separate unzip utility.

Self-extracting Zip files can optionally run a "setup" or "installation" program, provided by the creator, after the files are decompressed.

WinZip Self-Extractor - Features

A self-extracting Zip file is an executable file (.exe) that contains a Zip file and a small program to extract (unzip) the contents of the Zip file. Users can run (execute) a self-extracting Zip file just as they run any other program: just double click on the .exe file.

What are the Advantages to Self-Extracting Zip Files?

Self-extracting Zip files are ideal for electronic file distribution because they:

• Optionally run a "setup" or "installation" program, which may be included by the developer when the files are decompressed. (Note: Available in WinZip Self-Extractor 2.2 or later)
• Provide easy distribution of one or more compressed files.
• Include sensitive information protected with 128- and 256-bit AES encryption. (Note: Available in WinZip Self-Extractor 3 or later)
• Create smaller files with LZMA, JPEG, PPMd, WavPack and Enhanced Deflate compressed Zip files. (Note: LZMA, Jpeg and WavPack available in WinZip Self-Extractor 4.0 only)
• Designate custom high resolution icons for your Zip file (Windows 2000, Windows XP and Windows Vista). (Note: Windows Vista icon support available in WinZip 3.1 or later)
• Can contain multiple compressed files, minimizing download time and ensuring that important files do not become separated from the rest of the package.
• Allow the receiver to use a familiar Windows interface to extract (unzip) files, without owning or knowing how to use a separate unzip utility, making them ideal for inexperienced users.
• Any folder information in the Zip file is automatically restored, including empty folders.
• When a self-extracting Zip file created by WinZip Self-Extractor is run, a dialog box is displayed. This dialog box makes it easy for the user to change the "Unzip To" folder and other options before extracting the files.

Back to top

New Features in Version 4.0

WinZip Self-Extractor 4.0 is a companion product to WinZip and is separately licensed. The current release of WinZip contains WinZip Self-Extractor Personal Edition, a subset of WinZip Self-Extractor 4.0. For a comparison between WinZip Self-Extractor Personal Edition and WinZip Self-Extractor 4.0.

• Support for Jpeg Compression
  Create self-extracting Zip files that contain files compressed with Jpeg compression, delivering up to 25% compression of JPEG images with no loss in quality
• Support for LZMA Compression
  Create self-extracting Zip files that contain files compressed with LZMA compression, delivering powerful compression for many file types
• Support for WavPack Compression
  Create self-extracting Zip files that contain files compressed with WavPack compression, delivering lossless compression of .WAV (audio) files
• Unicode Support
  To ensure international characters are displayed for filenames in a Zip file
• Support for Advanced Compression methods
  Supports PPMd and Enhanced Deflate compressed files
• Icon Support
  WinZip Self-Extractor supports icon sizes of 16x16, 32x32, 48x48, 96x96, 128x128, and 256x256. Vista png format icons are also supported.
• Administrator Options
  WinZip Self-Extractor allows you to specify the privilege level at which self-extracting executables may be run. The Run as Administrator option lets you create self-extractors that will prompt Vista users for elevated privileges so self-extracting software installation packages have the required privilege level to run on the new OS.
• Support for Advanced Encryption
  Create self-extracting Zip files that contain AES, 128- or 256-bit key, encrypted files.
• Wizard driven
  WinZip Self-Extractor is wizard driven, which simplifies the process of building self-extracting Zip files.
• Customization
  Easily create and customize your self-extracting Zip files.
• Customize software installations
  WinZip Self-Extractor can create self-extracting Zip files for software installation using custom icons and splash screen, set up and about box text, and can run .exe, .com, .bat or .inf files to facilitate software installation. Standard self-extractors can open any file type in its associated application.
• Span disks
  A self-extracting Zip file created by WinZip Self-Extractor can span multiple removable disks.
• Invoke from Start/Run command
  WinZip Self-Extractor can be run from the "Start" menu's "Run" dialog box by simply typing "wzipse32".
• Self-extractors for software installation
  WinZip Self-Extractor can create self-extracting Zip files for software installation that can run standard Microsoft-format .INF files as an alternative to "setup" programs, and can clean up files even if the install process involves a reboot.
• Issue optional command after unzip
  There is no practical limit on the length of the optional command issued by self-extracting Zip files after the unzip operation completes.
• International Language Messages
  Self-extracting Zip files can be created with English or German messages.
• Works with Windows Vista

Back to top

WinZip Self-Extractor - System Requirements

Requirements: Microsoft Windows 2000, Windows XP, or Windows Vista.