Getting started

ZiFile is currently a Stage 4 public release and has not shipped through Microsoft Store or WinGet. GitHub users can obtain the unsigned Windows build from the current v0.1.15 Release; verify every download with the included SHA256SUMS.txt first. For installation, choose the single all-in-one ZiFile-0.1.15.0-windows.msixbundle, which contains x64 and ARM64 packages. The portable downloads are zifile-windows-x64.exe and zifile-windows-arm64.exe; each is a self-contained standalone program and does not need a separate Worker or DLL. Never import an unknown root certificate or disable Windows security checks to install a development package.

Open and inspect an archive

1. Start ZiFile and choose Open archive, or press Ctrl+O.
2. Select a ZIP, 7z, RAR, CAB, TAR, or supported compression stream. A known archive can also be dropped onto the window.
3. Filter paths with the persistently labelled Search field; its purpose remains visible after text is entered. Large archives are displayed in bounded pages of 500 rows.
4. Run an integrity test before extraction when appropriate. If a 7z or RAR archive also encrypts its file list, the first failure retains the selected file and presents a password retry view. Passwords are never stored in settings and are cleared before another archive is opened.

Detection uses both signatures and extensions. If an extension disagrees with the content, ZiFile reports a detection or parsing error instead of forcing the wrong decoder.

The archive header shows expanded size, packed size, and the percentage smaller. If container overhead makes the archive grow, it explicitly reports a larger percentage; an empty archive omits the meaningless percentage.

Extract safely

Select all or individual entries, choose Rename, Overwrite, Skip, or Error under the visibly labelled Conflict policy field, choose a destination, then start extraction. ZiFile rejects traversal, absolute paths, Windows device names, case collisions, unsafe links, extraction destinations containing symbolic links, junctions, or reparse points, and content beyond entry-count, expanded-size, or compression-ratio limits. Treat such a rejection as a reason to verify the archive’s source, not as a prompt to disable safety boundaries.

Work runs in an isolated Worker. Pressing Escape or choosing Cancel requests cooperative cancellation and terminates the Worker when necessary. Files already completed are not presented as if extraction had transactional rollback.

Create an archive

1. Choose Create archive or press Ctrl+N.
2. Add files or folders, or drop sources onto the window.
3. Choose a format, compression level, optional password, and output path.

ZIP, 7z, RAR, CAB, and TAR compositions accept multiple files and folders. RAR creates RAR 5 archives at levels 0–5 and can encrypt headers, but cannot preserve empty directories or be updated in place; CAB uses fixed MSZIP compression and cannot preserve empty directories. gzip, Zstandard, XZ, LZMA, Bzip2, LZ4, and Brotli are single-file streams and require exactly one existing file; use the matching TAR composition for a directory.

After opening a ZIP, 7z, or TAR-family archive, use Add to archive or Add folder to archive to update it in place, or select entries and choose Remove selected. Updates and removals extract, merge or delete, and rebuild in a temporary workspace beside the original, replacing the original only after success; single-file streams, RAR, and CAB cannot be updated.

In the same updateable archive types, select at least two regular files and choose Batch rename. Enter optional find/replace text plus an optional prefix and suffix. An empty find value disables replacement. ZiFile builds the mappings first, skips unchanged entries, and then applies the same archive-relative validation, collision checks, and atomic rebuild protection used by single-entry rename.

Queue and settings

Open, test, extract, create, or update requests can be submitted while another operation runs. ZiFile keeps at most 32 operations and executes them in order. Clear queue removes only waiting work; Cancel affects only the active operation. Language and light/dark theme are stored in %LOCALAPPDATA%\ZiFile\settings.conf; paths, recent history, and passwords are not stored.

The About page identifies the running version, MIT license, format-family count, project address, and local-processing privacy boundary; press F1 to open it directly. It can also open the project home, English documentation, and English privacy policy in the default browser; the footer reports an error if Windows cannot launch a link. Use this version when reporting a problem rather than relying only on the installer filename.

Command line

zifile formats
zifile list archive.zip
zifile test archive.7z
zifile extract archive.zip output --conflict rename
zifile create output.7z files --format seven-zip --level 9
zifile update archive.zip new-files --level 6
zifile update archive.zip --remove folder/old.txt --remove folder/cache

The COMPRESSION_LEVEL column in zifile formats gives each format’s inclusive range; fixed means the encoder has no adjustable level and --level must be omitted. Adjustable formats default to level 6 when the option is omitted; an out-of-range value is reported instead of continuing with a different level. update requires at least one source or --remove; --remove takes archive-relative paths, may be repeated, and removes descendants when a directory is selected.

Encrypted operations read a password from standard input. ZiFile does not accept a plaintext password argument that would enter process arguments or ordinary shell history:

$password | zifile test archive.7z --password-stdin
$password | zifile extract archive.7z output --password-stdin

See Troubleshooting for common failures and Format support for the capability matrix.