Make SFX for Windows

When a folder needs to arrive as one file that can unpack itself, Make SFX packages its contents into a self-extracting executable. Choose the source folder, set the extraction behavior, and optionally have a program from that folder run after unpacking.

Choose the files and destination

Select the folder containing the files to package, then choose where to save the SFX file. Make SFX compresses the contents with ZLIB. Its compression tool also supports command-line operation.

Set where the archive extracts

Pick an extraction location such as the temporary folder, desktop, documents, or the current folder. For a custom destination, environment variables can define part of the path, such as a folder under %USERPROFILE%. If the source folder contains a program to start, select it to run after extraction.

Configure the SFX behavior

Advanced options cover how the generated file behaves when opened. The SFX can extract silently, suppressing its progress bar and extraction error messages, or request administrator privileges through Windows UAC. A self-destructing option removes the SFX file after the selected executable has finished running.

When an executable is selected, Make SFX can copy its icon and version information into the generated archive. The unpacking interface supports multiple languages, while the packing program’s interface is in English.

System requirements: 32-bit and 64-bit

Can Make SFX run a program after unpacking?

Yes. Select an executable from the source folder, and it will run after the archive extracts.

Where can the files be extracted?

Choose a temporary, desktop, documents, current, or custom folder. Environment variables are supported in custom paths.

Can an SFX archive extract without showing progress?

Yes. Silent extraction hides the progress bar and extraction error messages.