For the most part, you must have come across a ZIP file format, whether you received it over email or downloaded it from the internet. But, unlike any regular file, if you want to open zip file you need a dedicated application for the same.
Over your PC it takes more than just a double-click to open a ZIP file. In this article, we are going to discuss all the ways in which you can access a ZIP file on your PC, Mac, Android, and iPhone.
Also Read: How to Open ISO File, How to Open RAR File, and How to Open Bin File.
What is a ZIP File?
ZIP is a compression file format that is used to archive storage or send large files over the internet. You can open and access a ZIP file in almost every computer or device regardless of the operating system. You can point out the file extension that ends with ‘.zip’
Although the majority of the operating come with their own built-in software to open and create a ZIP file, you can also use third-party applications as well. Some of the most prominent ones include WinZip, WinRar, and 7zip.
How to Open a Zip File on Windows 11/10
With the built-in Windows Compressed Folder, you can extract zip files on Windows. Follow these steps:
Step 1: First, locate the ZIP file you want to open.
Step 2: Now, right-click on the ZIP file and select “Extract All”. A pop-up menu would appear on the screen.
Step 3: Next, select a location where the ZIP files would get extracted. If you want to move the file to your desired location. Click on “Browse” and choose the destination (Google Drive, Dropbox, or others).
Step 4: Once you’ve decided where to move the file, click “OK”.
Step 5: Lastly, click “Extract” from the options provided. The extraction time would depend on the number and sizes of the files. When the extraction process is complete, you can view all the files.
How to Open a Zip File on Windows 11/10 with WinRAR
WinRAR is an effective free zip utility for file compression, extraction, and encryption. Here’s how to extract files on Windows 11/10 with WinRAR.
Step 1: Open WinRAR. Double-click on the file you want to extract and click on the “Extract To” icon on the top of the WinRAR window.
Note: Make sure you don’t forget to check whether the file extension is ticked in the WinRAR integration panel or not.
Step 2: Now, click on “OK”. It will save the unzipped file in your preferred location. (Dropbox, Google Drive, or other locations)
How to Open a Zip File on macOS
You won’t require a third-party application to open a Zip file on macOS. By using Mac’s Archive Utility tool, we can easily extract files on macOS. Follow these instructions.
Step 1: First, search for the ZIP file you want to open. If you’ve downloaded it, then check the download folder.
Step 2: When you double-click on the ZIP file, the file extraction will resume. It may take some time, depending on the number and sizes of the files.
Once the extraction process is complete. The unzipped files would appear on the screen. If the files didn’t show up, you can locate and view them.
How to Open a Zip File on Android Devices
You need to install a third-party application to open a Zip folder on Android devices. Look for a zip file opener on Google Play Store. Many Android devices come with a pre-installed Zip file opener. You can also extract the zipped files from the built-in file manager.
Opening a Zip File from the Built-in File Manager
Step 1: Open file manager, then tap on “Browse” at the bottom of the screen. If you’re opening the file manager for the first time, give access to photos, location, and files on your cell phone. Click on “Allow” to give access.
Step 2: Now, locate the Zip file. Tap the zipped file you want to extract, then again tap on “Extract”.
Step 3: Last, tap on “Done”. Now, you can access the unzipped file by tapping on “All” found at the top of the screen.
Opening a Zip File from Third-Party Application
You can either extract the zipped files by using the built-in file manager or a third-party application (Winzip). Here’s how you do it.
Step 1: If you haven’t installed WinZip, then you can download it from the Play Store. Now, locate the files you want to unzip.
Step 2: If the zipped file is encrypted, enter the encrypted password. Now, select all the files you want to extract, or you can also tap on the square in the top-right corner of the file list.
Step 3: Once all the required files are selected, proceed by tapping on the unzip button. Once the process is complete, select a location to extract the files.
You can either extract it to your phone’s storage, Dropbox, or Google Drive. View all the unzipped files on the file manager application.
How to Open a Zip File on iPhone
iPhone has a default feature that allows its users to view the zip file. Yet, you need to install a Zip file extractor to extract your zip files. You can opt for iZip, which is absolutely free.
Step 1: Once you’ve downloaded and installed the extractor, we can proceed. If you’ve already downloaded the zip file, then locate it.
Step 2: Tap and hold for a while, which would open a pop-up menu.
Step 3: Finally, tap “OK” which would automatically extract all the zipped files. Now, you can view all the extracted files from the iZip file extractor. But if you wish to open the extracted file from another application. Tap on the “Open In” button found at the bottom of the screen.
The Bottom Line
So that was our curated guide on how you can open a ZIP file on any device. Go through the steps mentioned above to access ZIP files on Windows, Mac, iOS, and Android. Let us know in the comment section below, which guide we should curate the next?
