WinZip supports and is compatible with the standard Zip 2.0 file format, an open-source format on which all standard Zip file utilities are based. Older versions of WinZip do not support enhancements to the Zip file format available in newer versions.
WinZip 25 and later supports all the following extended compression formats. Versions 21 to 23 support all the following, except for zstd compression. Versions 18 to 20.5 support all the following, except for zstd compression and MP3 compression. Versions from WinZip 15 to WinZip 17.5 support all the following, except for zstd compression, MP3 compression, and xz compression.
|
Name |
Method |
Version to Extract |
|---|---|---|
| zstd | 93 | 20 |
| MP3 | 94 | 20 |
| xz | 95 | 20 |
| lzma | 14 | 63 |
| PPMd | 98 | 20 |
| bzip2 | 12 | 46 |
| Enh. deflate | 9 | 21 |
| WavPack | 97 | 20 |
| Jpeg | 96 | 20 |
| AES* | 99 | ** |
* AES is an encryption method, not a compression method. Since AES is an extension to the Zip file format, it reports as compression method 99.
** The version to extract number for AES encrypted files is determined by the compression format that was used.
One way to determine the version of WinZip that you have installed would be to open the About WinZip dialog. If you are using an older WinZip version, you are welcome to download, install, and evaluate a copy of the current version. You can then use the current version with the file that led you to this web page.
You may click one of the following links if you find that the version needed value is 50, 63, 94 or 95 and you would like additional information.
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