Password Protected ZIP Creator
Create encrypted ZIP files with password protection. Secure your sensitive documents.
Drop files here to encrypt
or click to browse (any file types)
How to Create a Password-Protected ZIP
- Add files - Click the drop area or drag and drop files. You can add more at any time, and remove any file with the × next to its name.
- Set a password - Enter a strong, memorable password. The strength meter guides you, and you'll see instantly whether both entries match.
- Create - Tick the box confirming you understand a forgotten password can't be recovered, then click "Create Protected ZIP" to encrypt your files.
- Download - Save the encrypted ZIP archive and share it securely.
Security & Privacy
Your files are encrypted directly in your browser - nothing is uploaded to any server at any point - and you choose between two encryption modes, because ZIP encryption involves a genuine trade-off that most tools don't explain:
Compatible mode uses standard ZIP 2.0 password protection (ZipCrypto), the most widely supported format: iPhone and iPad Files, Windows Explorer, and macOS all prompt for your password with no extra software. It's solid protection for everyday privacy, but it's an older cipher with known cryptographic weaknesses - fine for keeping documents away from casual access, not for defending against a determined, technical attacker.
Maximum security mode uses AES-256 (the WinZip AE-2 standard) - genuinely strong, modern encryption with password-based key derivation and tamper detection. The catch: iPhones, Windows Explorer, and the built-in Mac unarchiver cannot open AES ZIPs at all. Your recipient will need a free app such as 7-Zip (Windows), Keka or The Unarchiver (Mac), or a third-party archiver on mobile. Choose this mode for genuinely sensitive material and tell your recipient what they'll need.
Either way, choose a long, unique password - 12+ characters mixing letters, numbers, and symbols - and share it through a different channel than the file itself.
Compatible vs. Maximum Security at a Glance
Both modes require the password to open the archive - the difference is how strong the lock is and which devices can open it without extra software:
| Compatible ZIP 2.0 |
Maximum Security AES-256 |
|
|---|---|---|
| Opens in iPhone / iPad Files | ||
| Opens in Windows Explorer | ||
| Opens in Google Files (Pixel) | ||
| Opens with built-in Mac unarchiver | ||
| Opens with 7-Zip / WinRAR / The Unarchiver | ||
| Encryption strength | Basic - known weaknesses | Strong, modern |
| Detects tampering with the archive | ||
| Best for | Everyday sharing | Genuinely sensitive files |
Rule of thumb: if you just want to keep a file away from casual eyes and have it open on most devices with no fuss, use Compatible. If the content would genuinely matter in the wrong hands - and your recipient can install a free archiver - use Maximum Security. Neither mode hides file names inside the archive, so avoid revealing filenames like "passwords.txt" either way.
Protecting Files on iPhone
The iPhone has no built-in way to create a password-protected ZIP - the Files app can compress files, but it can't encrypt them. This tool fills that gap: it runs entirely in Safari, so you can lock files with a password right on your phone.
- Add your files - Tap the drop area. Choose "Photo Library" to protect photos or videos, or "Choose Files" to pick documents from the Files app (including iCloud Drive).
- Set your password and create - Keep the mode on Compatible so the ZIP opens on any iPhone. Tick the confirmation box, tap Create, then Download.
- Find the ZIP - Safari saves it to Files → Downloads (tap the ↓ icon in Safari's address bar to jump straight to it).
- Test it - Tap the ZIP in Files. iOS asks for your password before extracting - if it prompts, it's protected.
- Share it safely - Long-press the ZIP → Share to send via AirDrop, Mail, or Messages. Send the password through a different channel than the file - if you email the ZIP, text the password.
Two iPhone-specific notes: stick with Compatible mode whenever an iPhone needs to open the archive - AES-256 ZIPs won't open in the Files app at all. And if you're protecting photos, they're stored in the ZIP exactly as-is, full quality included.
Using This Tool on Android
Creating a protected ZIP works the same on Android as anywhere else: open this page in Chrome, tap the drop area, pick your files, set a password, and download. The ZIP saves to your Downloads folder.
Opening one is where Android differs. Google's Files app, the default on Pixel phones, can't open password-protected ZIPs in either mode. To open one on Android, install a free archiver app such as ZArchiver or RAR, which ask for the password and extract normally. If you're sending a protected ZIP to someone with an Android phone, let them know they'll need one of these apps.
Tip: if a file you just saved doesn't appear when you tap the drop area, open the menu in the file picker and browse to the folder where the file was saved. Android's Recent view doesn't always show new files right away.
When to Use Password-Protected ZIPs
Encrypted ZIP archives are useful when sharing sensitive documents via email or cloud storage, protecting financial records, medical documents, or legal files, creating secure backups of important files, or sharing confidential work files with colleagues (share the password separately via a different channel for best security).