How to Easily Recover a Password-Protected ZIP File
- ZIP files are compressed files that can be password-protected for added security, making them inaccessible without the correct password.
- Password recovery for ZIP files is possible using tools like ZipRipper, though the process can vary in duration based on the password's complexity and the hardware used.
- While tools like ZipRipper can help recover lost passwords, they also highlight the dual nature of technology, being both beneficial and potentially harmful.
A great feature of ZIP files is that you can add a password to them as an extra layer of security. This way, if an unauthorized party gains access to the file, they won’t be able to view or extract any of its contents since they don’t know the password.
7-Zip, WinRAR, and other similar utilities allow you to assign passwords to a file when you’re compiling it. The real trouble arises when you create a password so unique that you end up forgetting it yourself.
We have some good news: Yes! Password recovery for ZIP files is completely possible! Before we outline the process to do this, you’ll need to meet these requirements:
- A device running Windows
- A decent GPU with the latest drivers installed
- A lot of time
How to Recover the Password for a ZIP File
- To recover our ZIP file’s password, we’ll be using the open-source tool ZipRipper. Simply head over to its GitHub page and click on the Code option.
Click on “Code” on ZipRipper’s GitHub page - From the drop-down, click on Download ZIP.
Click on “Download ZIP” to download ZipRipper - Next, use 7-Zip, WinRAR, or any other tool to extract the “ZipRipper-main” folder to any location you choose.
Extract the “ZipRipper-main” folder - Once done, open the folder you extracted and double-click on the file named “ZipRipper.cmd“.
Double-click on “ZipRipper.cmd” - Click Yes on the pop-up that appears. Immediately, a small outline should appear before you. Click on Start.
Click on “Start” - A pop-up window should appear. Browse and select the ZIP file whose password you want to recover, and click on Open.
Select the ZIP file whose password needs to be recovered - After the program finishes downloading some resources, it will begin attempting to recover the password. If a pop-up appears after the downloads are complete, click on No.
Wait patiently for the password to be recovered - The password recovery process is long and difficult. Depending on how complex the password is and the capability of your hardware, it can take anywhere from a few minutes to several weeks to recover it. Luckily, sessions can be saved and resumed later. Once the password recovery is complete, it will display the password in the window and as a pop-up.
The recovered password will be highlighted in yellow - Additionally, you can see the password at any time in the .txt file created on your desktop under the name “ZipRipper-Passwords.txt“.
All your recovered passwords will be stored and saved in this file
That’s all! Now you have successfully recovered your ZIP file password and regained access to your important files.
