How to delete files from existing archives (original) (raw)

How to remove (delete) files and folders in existing archive

Delete file in archive

To selectively remove one or more file or folder item from an existing archive(in example. ZIP, TAR or 7Z file, but corrent instructions works for modifying any write-supported format) press Cancel button or use Delete > "Delete from archive function".
A confirmation dialog will be prompted allowing to cancel the operation if desired.

delete file from zip archive

It is not possible to recover items deleted form archive
The removal from an archive means the file or folder is actually deleted, not moved to recycle bin, and the data will be likely not recoverable.
To delete the entire archive while it is being browsed, from dropdown menu on the right of "Secure delete" button it is possible to select any supported deletion function - recycle, quick delete, zeroe content (overwrite data with 0s), and secure delete.

Exceptions preventing archives being modified

Some archives cannot be updated or modified (neither adding nor removing files) because the archive type is read-only supported (solely for extraction or browsing operations), so PeaZip lacking the ability to modify archive content, data cannot be neither added nor removed - the entire archive file item can still be erased from filesystem, but it will be not possible to selectively delete compressed files from the archive.

Delete files from a RAR archive

It is possible to delete files in RAR archives from PeaZip only if WinRar is installed in the system, due rar licensing not allowing third parts applications to implement functions to modify RAR files(including deletion of files in existing RAR archives).

Delete files from an encrypted archive

Delete files form a solid archive
If solid mode compression is used, as in compressed TAR archives (tar.gz / tgz, tar.bz2 / .tbz, tar.xz...) compression of subsequent data depends on statistical analysis of previous data - which usually brings better compression, fine tuning the statistical analysis of the input.
In this case, removing files from existing archive will result in the need of re-compressing the whole file, which may be cumbersome: this does not prevent the ability to edit the archive content, but it makes the operation slower if large block size is used.
Read more on solid compressionmodify solid archive Wikipedia page.

Read more about how to manage 7Z files, manage ZIP files, manage ZIPX files.

Synopsis: How to delete files and folders items in current archive. Erase compressed data inside archives with PeaZip archive manager utility. How to remove content from existing ZIP, 7Z, TAR, RAR file.

Topics: delete files from existing archive, archives not allowing content deletion

PeaZip > FAQ > How to delete files from archives