Convert ZI to ZIP

Understanding ZI and ZIP file formats

The ZI file format is essentially a renamed version of a ZIP file. This renaming is often done to bypass email filters or other restrictions that might block ZIP files. The ZIP file format is a widely-used archive format that supports lossless data compression. It allows multiple files to be compressed and stored in a single archive, making it easier to transport and store data.

Converting ZI to ZIP

Converting a ZI file to a ZIP file is a straightforward process since the ZI file is already a ZIP file with a different extension. You simply need to rename the file extension from .zi to .zip. This can be done directly in your file explorer by right-clicking the file, selecting Rename, and changing the extension.

Best software for ZI to ZIP conversion

While manual renaming is the simplest method, you can also use file compression software to handle this conversion. WinRAR and 7-Zip are excellent choices for managing archive files. These programs can open ZI files directly, allowing you to extract the contents or save them as a ZIP file.

Using WinRAR for conversion

1. Open WinRAR and navigate to the ZI file.
2. Select the file and click File → Open.
3. Once opened, click File → Save As and choose the ZIP format.

Using 7-Zip for conversion

1. Right-click the ZI file and select 7-Zip → Open archive.
2. Click File → Extract to extract the contents.
3. Compress the extracted files into a new ZIP archive using 7-Zip → Add to archive and select ZIP as the format.