7-Zip vs Windows Explorer (Built-in)
Do you need 7-Zip when Windows can open ZIP files natively?
| Feature | 7-Zip | Windows Explorer |
|---|---|---|
| Create ZIP | Yes | Yes |
| Create 7z | Yes | No |
| Extract RAR | Yes | No |
| Extract 7z | Yes | No |
| Extract ISO | Yes | Mount only |
| Compression ratio | Best | Standard |
| AES-256 encryption | Yes | No |
| Split archives | Yes | No |
| Command line | Yes | No |
| Formats supported | 30+ | ZIP only |
Verdict
Windows Explorer only handles ZIP files with basic functionality. 7-Zip adds support for dozens of formats (RAR, 7z, ISO, TAR, etc.), better compression, encryption, split archives, and command-line tools. If you ever encounter a file that isn't a ZIP, you need 7-Zip.