# Password-Protect a ZIP File

Lock files in a ZIP that only opens with your password, then send it by email or link. Choose strong AES-256 encryption or the older kind every computer can open.

_Source: https://sharelargefilesfree.com/tools/password-protect-zip · Updated 2026-09-29_

**Quick answer:** To password-protect a ZIP, add your files, type a password and press Create protected ZIP. AES-256 (the default) is strong encryption that opens with 7-Zip, WinRAR, Keka or The Unarchiver; “Compatible” encryption also opens in Windows File Explorer and macOS but is weak. The ZIP is made on your device, up to 4 GB per file.

## How to use it

1. Choose the files to protect.
2. Type a password twice; long passphrases of four or more words are best.
3. Keep AES-256, or choose Compatible if the recipient only has Windows File Explorer or a Mac.
4. Press Create protected ZIP, then send the ZIP and tell the recipient the password another way.

## AES-256 or Compatible: which to choose

| | AES-256 | Compatible (ZipCrypto) |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Security | Strong: safe with a good password | Weak: can be cracked with free tools |
| Windows File Explorer | Does not open it; use 7-Zip or WinRAR | Opens it |
| Mac (Archive Utility) | Does not open it; use Keka or The Unarchiver | Opens it (double-click, or `unzip` in Terminal) |
| iPhone / Android | Files apps vary; iZip, RAR or ZArchiver open it | Most apps |

Use AES-256 for anything sensitive, such as contracts, IDs, payroll or medical records. Use Compatible only to keep casual eyes out when the recipient cannot install anything.

## What a ZIP password does and does not hide

The contents of every file are encrypted. The **file names** inside, their sizes and dates are not, in either mode: anyone can list them without the password. If the names themselves are private, rename the files first, or put them in one inner ZIP and protect that.

A ZIP password cannot be reset or recovered: if it is lost, so are the files. Keep a copy of the originals.

## Send the password separately

Never put the password in the same email or chat as the ZIP. Send the file by email or with a [download link](https://sharelargefilesfree.com/) (free up to 20 GB, which can have its own password too), and share the password by text message or phone.

## Made on your device

The ZIP is built and encrypted in your browser with zip.js, using the browser's own cryptography (AES-256 in WinZip AE-2 format, with a key derived from your password). Your files and your password are never uploaded. Big sets of files work, up to 4 GB per file, and are faster on a computer.

## Frequently asked questions

### How do I open a password-protected ZIP?

AES-256 ZIPs open in 7-Zip and WinRAR (Windows), Keka or The Unarchiver (Mac) and in our Unzip tool, which asks for the password. Compatible ZIPs also open in Windows File Explorer and on a Mac by double-clicking.

### Why does Windows say the ZIP is invalid or asks for a password it will not accept?

Windows File Explorer does not support AES-encrypted ZIPs. Open it with 7-Zip, or make the ZIP again with Compatible encryption.

### Are the file names hidden?

No. ZIP encryption protects the contents, not the file names. Rename sensitive files before zipping.

### Is my password sent anywhere?

No. The ZIP is encrypted in your browser; neither the files nor the password leave your device.

### Can I remove the password later?

Open the ZIP with the password (for example in our Unzip tool) and zip the files again without one.