ZIP Encryptor with AES-256
Two directions: password-protect files and whole folders in an AES-256 encrypted ZIP in WinZip AE-2 format — the standard 7-Zip, WinRAR and PeaZip open — and open protected ZIPs directly in your browser, no install needed. Deflate compression, preserved folder structure and AE-2 validation before every download.
Drop files or a whole folder
Folder structure is preserved. Everything is encrypted in your browser: nothing is uploaded.
Opens in 7-Zip, WinRAR and PeaZip. Windows Explorer cannot open AES: only use it for legacy ZIPs.
Windows Explorer cannot open AES ZIPs. Open it with 7-Zip, WinRAR, PeaZip — or with this very tool, «Open protected ZIP» tab.
Built by
Miguel Ángel Colorado Marin (MACM)
Built by
Miguel Ángel Colorado Marin (MACM)
Full-Stack Developer · Guadalajara, España
I develop web apps, digital tools and full projects — from design to deployment.
Sending private files always starts with «how do I password-protect this?», and opening someone else's ZIP ends the same way: what program decrypts this? This tool handles both directions in your browser. To protect, it encrypts each file with AES-256 in CTR mode + HMAC-SHA1 following the WinZip AE-2 specification — the one 7-Zip, WinRAR and PeaZip implement, prompting you for the password on open — while preserving folder structure when you drop a whole directory. To open, it reads the ZIP, shows each file with its detected encryption (AES-256, AES-128 or ZipCrypto) and extracts the contents with the password, installing nothing. The encrypted ZIP is validated before download: method 99, AE-2 extra field with vendor «AE», correct strength and expected file count — the same analysis the test bank verifies by extracting with real 7-Zip and WinRAR. And if you need double-click in Windows Explorer, there's a legacy ZipCrypto mode: the only one Windows supports, trivially broken, and the tool says so plainly.
Features
- ✓AES-256 encryption (WinZip AE-2): the standard 7-Zip, WinRAR and PeaZip prompt passwords for
- ✓Open protected ZIPs in the browser: extract from AES-256, AES-128 and ZipCrypto without installing anything
- ✓Whole folders with their subdirectory structure and a configurable ZIP name
- ✓Deflate before encryption and structural ZIP validation before every download
- ✓Secure password generator and per-file encryption badges for every entry
How to password-protect a ZIP?
- 1
Drop files or the folder
Drop loose files or a whole directory: the subfolder structure is preserved inside the ZIP.
- 2
Pick mode, name and compression
AES-256 by default; AES-128 or legacy if you need compatibility; ZIP name and optional compression.
- 3
Set the password
Type it or generate a 24-character one; it must match in both fields and be at least 8 characters.
- 4
Encrypt, validate and download
The ZIP is validated before downloading. Open it later with 7-Zip, WinRAR, PeaZip — or this tool's own «Open protected ZIP» tab.
Frequently asked questions
Can Windows Explorer open it?
Not in AES mode: Windows Explorer's encryption support only covers legacy ZipCrypto. With AES-256 you need 7-Zip, WinRAR or PeaZip — or this very tool: the «Open protected ZIP» tab decrypts the contents in the browser with nothing to install. If double-click in Windows is a must, use legacy mode knowing its cipher is weak.
Which formats can the decrypt tab open?
The three real ZIP encryption schemes: WinZip AE-2 with AES-256 and AES-128 (what 7-Zip, WinRAR and PeaZip produce), AE-1 and legacy ZipCrypto. When loading the ZIP it shows each file with its detected encryption by reading the 0x9901 extra field and the method. Files extract one by one or all at once, and neither the ZIP nor the password leaves your device.
What happens if I lose the password?
With AES-256 there is no recovery: the key is derived from the password with PBKDF2 and stored nowhere — not in the file, not on any server. That's the point of strong encryption, and also the reason to save the password in a manager before encrypting.
Related tools
Embed ZIP Encryptor with AES-256 on your site
Add ZIP Encryptor with AES-256 to any web page with a simple iframe. Free, with attribution to miguelacm.es.
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src="https://miguelacm.es/embed/zip-encryptor"
width="100%"
height="700"
frameborder="0"
title="ZIP Encryptor with AES-256 — miguelacm.es"
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