How can I password protect winzip file on Windows PC?

If you use an online service to password protect WinZip file on Windows 11/10 computer, you're basically handing over your files to a third party. Even if they say they’re secure, there’s always a tiny chance someone could access or misuse your data. Not ideal if you’ve got anything sensitive. Many free online tools have limits on how big your files can be. So, if you’re dealing with larger files, they might not work, or you might need to split things up.

Password protecting WinZip file online isn’t as safe as doing it locally. If the website isn’t well-secured, your password and files could be exposed or intercepted. Online tools often give you fewer options for encryption and compression settings. With offline tools like 7-Zip, you can tweak encryption methods or compression levels more easily. When you upload files to an online service, there's always a risk that your data could be stored, logged, or even leaked if their servers are compromised.

From personal experience, I’d say for small, non-sensitive stuff, online tools are super handy and quick. But for anything private or important, I prefer offline tools like 7-Zip. They’re safer, give me more control, and I don’t have to worry about my files wandering off into the cloud.