Help & Support

FAQs, guides, and tips. Install, compress, extract, and use Bandizip on Windows and macOS.

Getting Started

Installing Bandizip

  1. Download Bandizip from the official website for your operating system (Windows or macOS).
  2. Run the installer and follow the on-screen instructions.
  3. On Windows, you can choose to integrate Bandizip with Windows Explorer for easy access.
  4. On macOS, drag Bandizip to your Applications folder after opening the downloaded disk image.
  5. Launch Bandizip and start managing your archives immediately.

Creating Your First Archive

  1. Open Bandizip and click "New Archive" or use the toolbar button.
  2. Select the files and folders you want to compress.
  3. Choose your archive format (ZIP, 7Z, TAR, etc.) from the format dropdown.
  4. Set compression level if desired (higher compression = smaller files but slower processing).
  5. Optionally add a password for security using the "Set Password" option.
  6. Click "OK" to create your archive.

Extracting Archives

  1. Double-click any archive file to open it in Bandizip, or right-click and select "Extract".
  2. Choose the destination folder for extracted files.
  3. If the archive is password-protected, enter the password when prompted.
  4. Click "Extract" to begin the extraction process.
  5. Bandizip will show progress and notify you when extraction is complete.

Key Features

Password Protection

Bandizip supports strong encryption for your archives. When creating a new archive, click "Set Password" to enable password protection. You can use AES-256 encryption for maximum security. Remember to keep your passwords safe, as encrypted archives cannot be recovered without the password.

Image Preview

View images directly from archives without extracting them first. Simply open an archive containing images, and Bandizip will display thumbnails. Click any image to view it in full size. This feature works with common image formats including JPEG, PNG, GIF, and BMP.

Archive Repair

If you have a damaged or corrupted archive, Bandizip can attempt to repair it. Right-click the archive file and select "Repair Archive" from the context menu. Note that repair success depends on the extent of damage and the archive format. ZIP and 7Z formats generally have better repair capabilities.

Antimalware Scanning

Bandizip can automatically scan extracted files for malware. Enable this feature in Settings > Security. When enabled, Bandizip will check files against virus definitions before allowing extraction. This helps protect your system from potentially harmful files.

Supported Formats

Bandizip supports a wide range of archive formats for both reading and writing:

  • ZIP - The most common archive format, fully supported with encryption
  • 7Z - High compression ratio format with strong encryption
  • RAR - Read support for RAR archives (extraction only)
  • TAR - Unix tape archive format
  • GZ, BZ2, XZ - Compression formats often used with TAR
  • ISO - Disk image format support
  • And 20+ more formats - Comprehensive format support for maximum compatibility

Performance Tips

Optimizing Compression Speed

  • Use ZIP format for fastest compression when file size isn't critical.
  • Choose 7Z format for maximum compression when you need smaller files.
  • Adjust compression level: "Store" (no compression) is fastest, "Maximum" is slowest but creates smallest files.
  • For large files, consider using "Ultra" compression level only when necessary.

Improving Extraction Speed

  • Extract to an SSD for faster write speeds.
  • Close other applications to free up system resources.
  • Disable real-time antivirus scanning during extraction if possible (re-enable after).
  • Use Bandizip's multi-core processing which is enabled by default.

Frequently Asked Questions

Yes, Bandizip Standard is completely free for personal use. There are no ads, no spyware, and no hidden costs. Professional and Enterprise editions offer additional features for advanced users and businesses, but the free version is fully functional for most users.

Yes, you can use Bandizip commercially. All editions including Standard, Professional, and Enterprise are completely free for both personal and commercial use. No license purchase is required. All features are available free without any restrictions.

Yes, Bandizip can extract RAR files. However, due to licensing restrictions, Bandizip cannot create RAR archives. You can extract RAR files to view their contents or convert them to other formats like ZIP or 7Z.

Bandizip Professional and Enterprise editions include password recovery tools that can help recover passwords using dictionary attacks and brute force methods. However, strong passwords with encryption cannot be guaranteed to be recovered. Always keep your passwords in a secure password manager.

Bandizip includes archive repair functionality for ZIP and 7Z formats. Right-click a damaged archive and select "Repair Archive". Success depends on the extent of damage. Some files may be recoverable even if the archive structure is partially corrupted.

Absolutely. Bandizip is developed by Bandisoft, a reputable software company. The application is free of malware, spyware, and adware. Bandizip includes built-in antimalware scanning to protect your system when extracting files from archives.