AES Free - Version 2.4 AES Free is the program that creates self-extracting encrypted AES-files for Windows. Self-extracting files are executable programs (EXEs) that contain a AES-file and the software necessary to decompress the contents. Users can decompress the contents of a self-extracting AES-files simply by running it like any other program. No other software is needed. These self-extracting AES-files are ideal to storage and electronically distribute the information because they contain multiple compressed files and folders.