WinZip Perpetual release notes

This article will cover the main items for the new WinZip Enterprise release.

WinZip 31.0 Perpetual release notes - September 2026 release

Release date: September 16, 2026 

Applies to: WinZip 31, WinZip 31 Enterprise 

WinZip 31 is a cumulative release. It includes every change delivered in WinZip 77.1 and 77.2, together with capabilities available only in WinZip Enterprise. 

New features 

• Authenticated encryption with AES-256-GCM. WinZip encrypts using AES-256 in Galois/Counter Mode, replacing AES-CTR with HMAC. GCM encrypts data and verifies its integrity in a single operation. AES-256-GCM is available in all WinZip editions and is selected in the encryption settings. 

• Activity logging. WinZip can record the file operations it performs to the Windows event log, including opening and closing files, adding, extracting, renaming, and moving files between folders. Logging is off by default and is enabled by an administrator. Events are written to the local Windows event log on each machine, where they can be viewed, collected, and forwarded using standard Windows tools. 

• Signed executable verification. WinZip verifies that its own program files carry a valid signature each time the program starts. If any file fails verification, WinZip does not run. 

• Automatic updates (WinZip Enterprise). WinZip Enterprise installations can receive updates automatically, without downloading and reinstalling each release. 

• ARM64EC and x64 support. WinZip runs as ARM64EC on ARM-based Windows devices, including Copilot+ PCs, and as x64 on Intel and AMD systems. An ARM64EC edition is also available in the Microsoft Store. 

Security and compliance 

• FIPS 140-3 compliance (WinZip Enterprise). WinZip Enterprise is FIPS 140-3 compliant. Cryptographic operations are performed through Microsoft's FIPS 140-3 validated Cryptographic Primitives Library (CNG) in a FIPS approved mode. FIPS 140-3 supersedes FIPS 140-2. 

• Software update platform. Security improvements to the WinZip Software Update Platform, which delivers updates to installed clients. 

• Third-party components. Bundled third-party components have been updated to address known vulnerabilities. 

• Application security assessment. An application security assessment was completed against the codebase, with all findings remediated before release. 

Platform and compatibility 

• .NET Framework 4.8. WinZip now runs on .NET Framework 4.8, the long-term support release, with third-party libraries updated alongside it. 

• Windows 11. Fixes to Windows 11 behaviour, including Windows shell integration. 

Changes and removals 

• ZipShare. Promotional references to ZipShare have been removed from the application. 

Installation and upgrade 

• Upgrading. WinZip 31 installs over earlier perpetual versions and preserves existing settings and file associations. 

• Encryption settings. AES-256-GCM is not applied to existing archives. Archives created or updated after the encryption setting is changed use AES-256-GCM. 

• Activity logging. Logging must be enabled before events are recorded. No events are written for activity that took place before it was turned on. 

If further information is needed, please contact our support teams here: WinZip Support