IZArc

Name: IZArc
Availability: InStock
Author: Ivan Zahariev

IZArc is a free archive manager for Windows that handles over 50 compression formats including ZIP, RAR, 7Z, TAR, GZ, and ISO. It integrates into the Windows Explorer context menu for quick extraction and compression, and supports drag and drop operations. The program is a lightweight alternative to WinRAR and 7-Zip.

What it does

Right-click any archive and IZArc appears in the context menu with options to extract here or to a subfolder. Creating archives works the same way: select files, right-click, pick IZArc, and choose your format. The format list is long, covering ZIP, 7Z, TAR, GZ, BZ2, and several others. Password encryption with AES-256 is available for ZIP archives.

The standout feature is format conversion. Under Tools > Convert Archive, you point IZArc at an existing archive and pick a target format. The program handles the conversion directly without requiring you to extract and recompress manually. This saves time when you receive a file in a format that your recipient cannot open.

IZArc also opens ISO disc images, extracting their contents without burning to a disc. Self-extracting archives (SFX) let you package files so recipients can unpack them by double-clicking, with no archiver installed. The repair tool attempts to fix corrupted ZIP files by reconstructing the archive structure.

Advantages

Completely free for personal and commercial use
Supports over 50 archive formats out of the box
Direct format conversion between archive types
Explorer context menu integration with drag and drop

Drawbacks

Interface looks dated compared to modern archivers
Updates are infrequent, development appears slow
Cannot create RAR archives (extraction only, same as 7-Zip)
7-Zip offers similar functionality and is more actively maintained

Who it is for

I find IZArc useful as a do-everything archive tool when you deal with obscure formats regularly. If you only work with ZIP and RAR files, 7-Zip covers that well. But if you need format conversion or run into less common compression types, IZArc handles a wider range of formats in a single program without any cost.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is IZArc free?

Yes. IZArc is completely free for both personal and commercial use. There is no paid version or premium tier with extra features.

Can IZArc create RAR files?

No. IZArc can extract RAR archives but cannot create them, because the RAR compression algorithm is proprietary. For creating archives, it supports ZIP, 7Z, TAR, GZ, BZ2, and several other formats.

What makes IZArc different from 7-Zip?

IZArc supports direct format conversion between archive types without extracting first. It also handles a wider range of obscure formats. 7-Zip is more actively maintained and has better compression ratios for 7Z files.

Can IZArc open ISO files?

Yes. IZArc extracts the contents of ISO disc images directly, without needing to burn them to a disc or mount them as a virtual drive.

Features & How-To Guide

#	Feature	How to use
1	Archive extraction (ZIP/RAR/7Z)	Right-click an archive › IZArc › Extract here or Extract to folder.
2	ZIP 7Z archive creation	Select files › Right-click › IZArc › Add to archive › Select format (ZIP/7Z/TAR) › Set compression › OK.
3	Opening ISO files	Right-click on ISO file › IZArc › Extract here › Extracts ISO image contents without burning to disc.
4	File drag and drop	Drag files from Explorer to the IZArc window › Automatically adds to a new or existing archive.
5	Conversion between archive formats	IZArc › Tools › Convert Archive › Select source archive › Select destination format › Convert.
6	Archive encryption with password	Add to archive › Check Encryption › Enter password › Select method (AES-256 for ZIP) › OK.
7	Self-extracting archive creation	Add to archive › Check Self-extracting (SFX) › Recipient needs no program to extract.
8	Corrupted archive repair	IZArc › Tools › Repair Archive › Select damaged ZIP archive › Program attempts to restore structure.