WinZip is a leading file compression tool used to combine and shrink multiple files into a single archive. While most users use it to save space or prepare files for email, it also features powerful tools for creating self-extracting executables that don’t require the recipient to have any software installed.
WinZip allows you to make self-extracting executable(exe) files from your zipped archives. Self-extracting archives have an extension of .exe, and can be run as commands. When a self-extracting archive is run, the files in the archive are automatically extracted without the user having to have WinZip installed on the computer.
To create a self-extracting ZIP file, open your existing archive in WinZip. In modern versions (v25 and later), click on the Tools tab and select the Self-Extracting EXE button. This will launch a wizard to convert the open archive into an executable. Simply follow the prompts to choose your save location and filename.
You can specify a default ‘Unzip To’ folder where the files will be placed when the user runs the EXE. If left blank, it typically defaults to the user’s temp directory. You can also use the ‘Spanning’ feature if you need to split a very large archive into smaller pieces for easier sharing.
If you are running WinZip Self-Extractor Personal Edition or WinZip Self-Extractor you should be aware that you cannot create self-extracting Zip files if the original Zip file contains any files encrypted using AES encryption, or contains any files that were compressed using the enhanced deflate compression method, or uses the 64-bit Zip file format extensions.
The self-extractor utility is built into most standard versions of WinZip. If you are looking for a completely free alternative that provides similar functionality, 7-Zip is an excellent open-source choice that can also create self-extracting (SFX) archives.
Because self-extracting archives use the .exe extension, many modern email filters (like Gmail or Outlook) may block them as a security precaution. If you find your file is being blocked, it is best to upload the .exe to a cloud service like OneDrive or Google Drive and share the download link instead.
For additional training resources, check out our online IT training courses.
Check out our extensive IT book series.
