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PeaZip is a free, open-source archiver and file manager for Windows, macOS and Linux that opens more than 240 archive formats including RAR, 7Z, ZIP, TAR and ISO, with no ads, no trial timer and no paid upgrade.
PeaZip is the free archiver to install when you want WinRAR's reach without WinRAR's nag screen.
It opens RAR, 7Z, ZIP, ISO and more than two hundred other archive types, and it never asks you to pay.
Version 11.3.0 is a security and polish release, and the developer recommends everyone update.
What PeaZip Actually Does - in Plain Terms
An archiver packs many files into one smaller file, and unpacks them again. PeaZip does both, and adds a built-in file manager so you can browse inside an archive like an ordinary folder.
After installing, right-click any archive in Windows Explorer and choose Extract Here or Extract To. Most people never open the main window after that, and that is fine. If the difference between a program with a window and a command-line tool is new to you, the guide to GUI versus command-line tools explains it in five minutes.
It is open source under the LGPLv3 licence, with no advertising, no bundled extras and no data collection, according to the developer.
Why PeaZip Instead of WinRAR or WinZip
WinRAR and WinZip are the names most people learned first, but both are paid programs that remind you of it. PeaZip has no trial timer and no upgrade screen, and it opens RAR and RAR5 archives without WinRAR installed.
The one thing it cannot do on its own is create RAR files. RAR compression is licensed, so PeaZip only offers it when WinRAR is already on the PC - for everything you send to other people, 7Z or ZIP is the better choice anyway.
The other big free option is 7-Zip, and PeaZip actually uses 7-Zip's engine under the hood. The difference is the interface: PeaZip is friendlier for browsing, previewing and encrypting, while 7-Zip is smaller and plainer.
What's New in PeaZip 11.3.0
PeaZip 11.3.0 was released on 26 September 2026. It carries several security fixes, which is the main reason to update even if none of the new features matter to you.
- Password Manager now needs a master password. If you use the built-in password manager, PeaZip will ask you to set one - it is mandatory from this version.
- New "Open with" picker. Press Shift+F12 to choose which program opens the selected file.
- Better ZPAQ support. ZPAQ archives now handle passwords interactively, and PEA archives gain a test function to check they are intact.
- Small comforts. New Blue and Blue-Dark themes, plus an option to show the compression percentage while creating an archive.
- Updated engines. The 7z backend moves to 26.03 and the Pea engine to 1.33, and PeaZip now recognises 243 file extensions as archives.
If you are coming from an older version, 11.2.0 in July added the features people notice most. Press F12 to search every PeaZip function by name, drag files in to get a clear menu of actions, and open .ZIM files, the format used for offline Wikipedia copies.
Which File to Download
The download page carries five files, all version 11.3.0. Pick by your system, then by whether you want PeaZip installed.
| File | What it is | Pick it if |
|---|---|---|
| peazip-11.3.0.WIN64.exe | 64-bit Windows installer | You are on a normal Windows 10 or 11 PC - this is the default choice |
| peazip_portable-11.3.0.WIN64.zip | 64-bit portable version, no installation | You want it on a USB stick or cannot install software |
| peazip-11.3.0.WINDOWS.exe | 32-bit Windows installer | Your copy of Windows is 32-bit |
| peazip_portable-11.3.0.WINDOWS.zip | 32-bit portable version | Your Windows is 32-bit and you want no installation |
| peazip-11.3.0.DARWIN.x86_64.dmg | macOS build for Intel Macs | You are on an Intel Mac |
The developer says the 64-bit version is faster and should be preferred on any modern PC. Linux packages and other Mac builds are on the developer's own site.
Formats It Opens and Creates
PeaZip reads far more formats than it writes, which is normal for an archiver. These are the ones most people meet.
- Creates: 7Z, ZIP, TAR, GZ, BZ2, Zstandard, Brotli, WIM, ARC and its own PEA format.
- Opens: all of the above plus RAR, RAR5, XZ, ZPAQ, CAB, ARJ, LHA, CPIO, ZIM and many more.
- Disc images: opens ISO and UDF images so you can pull out single files without mounting anything.
That last point is handy with installer ISOs. You can look inside and copy one file out, without creating a virtual drive.
When you do need the image mounted as a drive, ImgDrive is the simple free option. DAEMON Tools Lite is free for personal use with paid tiers above it.
For creating and editing disc images, PowerISO does the job but is paid software with a limited trial. To put an ISO on a bootable USB stick, use Rufus instead.
If you carry several ISOs around, Ventoy lets one USB stick boot any of them.
Encryption and the Password Manager
PeaZip can lock 7Z and ZIP archives with AES-256 encryption, so nobody can open them without the password. Its own PEA format goes further, with a choice of ciphers and optional two-factor protection that needs both a password and a keyfile.
The built-in password manager keeps your archive passwords in an encrypted list on your own PC, with no account and no cloud. From 11.3.0 that list is protected by a master password.
There is also a secure-delete tool for wiping the original files after you have archived them.
Keep that password safe.
AES-256 has no back door. Lose the password - or the master password for the password manager - and the files inside are gone for good.
Where PeaZip Fits Alongside Your Codecs
Plenty of multimedia tools arrive as archives rather than installers. Builds of FFmpeg, portable players and command-line encoders usually come as .7z or .zip files, and PeaZip unpacks all of them.
Some installers are themselves archives inside. PeaZip can often open them so you can see what is inside before running them, which is useful with bundles like the K-Lite Codec Pack or its bigger Mega edition.
If you are here because a video will not play, an archiver will not fix that. The free Codec Finder and Codec Troubleshooter tell you what is missing, right in your browser.
Who Should Look Elsewhere
The tell is simple: if you only ever unzip the odd download and never open the archiver itself, the smaller 7-Zip does that job with less to learn.
- You need to create RAR files for someone who insists on them - that still needs WinRAR installed.
- You cannot install anything on the computer in front of you - use the portable ZIP, or a browser tool from the list below.
- You are on a Windows on ARM laptop - PeaZip runs through Windows' x64 emulation there rather than natively, so test it first.
No-Install Browser Alternatives
On a locked-down work laptop or a borrowed PC, a browser tool can stand in for a quick job. These run on our sister site, ConvertICO:
- Archive Extractor unpacks ZIP, RAR, 7Z and TAR files.
- Archive Creator packs files into a new archive.
- Archive File Viewer shows what is inside without extracting.
- 7Z File Viewer does the same for 7Z files specifically.
They are handy stopgaps, not replacements - PeaZip is faster, copes with much bigger archives and works offline.
Quick questions
Is PeaZip really free?
Yes. It is open source under the LGPLv3 licence, with no trial period, no paid edition and no advertising.
Can PeaZip open RAR files?
Yes, including RAR5, with no need for WinRAR. It can only create RAR files if WinRAR is also installed.
PeaZip or 7-Zip?
PeaZip if you want a friendlier window, previews and a password manager. 7-Zip if you just want the smallest, simplest tool - and PeaZip uses 7-Zip's engine anyway.
Should I download the 64-bit or 32-bit version?
The 64-bit version, unless your copy of Windows is 32-bit. The developer says it is faster on modern PCs.
Why is PeaZip asking me for a master password?
From version 11.3.0 the built-in password manager requires one. Pick something you will remember, because it protects every archive password saved inside.
Is there a portable version?
Yes. The portable ZIP files on the download page run without installing, so they work from a USB stick.
For more utilities like this one, browse the other tools category.
Download PeaZip 11.3.0 and see how it handles your archives, or tell us how you got on if you have used it before.
