Table of Contents
This guide tells you how to Unzip Files on Windows, Mac, iPhone and Android, no matter who made it. No matter if we are using Windows, Mac and Smartphone, we often have to deal with zip files. They help when you need to send large files or a lot of files fast. This guide will show you how to quickly remove the contents of a zipped folder by using File Explorer or PowerShell commands instead of third-party programs.
File sizes keep getting bigger as time goes on and computers get better. ZIP files let you put up to hundreds of files into one “compressed” file that takes up less space. It’s a great way to send a lot of files to someone, especially if you’re using an app like Gmail that limits the amount of files. But once you get a ZIP file, you’ll need to “unzip” it before you can see or use any of its items. Since ZIP files are so popular, it’s a good thing that they’re very easy to open.
How to Unzip Files on Windows
In Windows 11/10, there are two ways to open ZIP files. Windows, unlike macOS, lets users see what’s inside ZIP files and even unzip files one by one. If you want to know more information about this Visit Official Microsoft Support site.
- Double-click the ZIP file. File Explorer will show you the file’s contents. At this point, you can either open all the files contained by selecting Extract All in the top-right corner of File Explorer, or you can select individual files.
- Then open them one at a time by dragging them to a new location. Selecting Extract All in File Explorer prompts an option window that allows you to set the destination for the extracted files. The default destination is always the current location of the ZIP file.
- Right-click the ZIP file. Then select Extract All from the drop menu.
How to Unzip Files on Mac
On a Mac, there are two ways to open a ZIP file. When you choose Quick Look from the drop-down menu, you only get the total size of the file and the date it was last changed. Note that the Finder file viewer on macOS can’t show you what’s inside a ZIP file without extra software.
- Double-click the ZIP file. This prompts the macOS Archive Utility tool to unzip the file and create a folder of the same name in the current directory. The ZIP file automatically persists.
- Right-click the ZIP file. Then select either Open or Open With from the drop menu. Selecting Open prompts the Archive Utility tool in the same manner as double-clicking. If you want to open the ZIP file with third-party software, you can select Open With to change the default application.
How to Unzip Files on iPhone
Both the iPhone OS and the Android OS were a few years behind their desktop versions when it came to supporting ZIP files. In 2017, Apple added a way to handle files to iOS. For iOS 16, the Files app will automatically handle ZIP extraction. In five steps, iPhone users can open ZIP files.
- Open the Files App
- Scroll to locate the ZIP you want to open in Locations or tap Browse to search larger directories for files by name.
- To preview the ZIP’s contents, tap and hold the icon. Then select Quick Look from the drop menu.
- Tap the ZIP file.
- Files App will create a folder of the same name, which you can tap to open.
How to Unzip Files on Android
Since 2017, the Files by Google app on Android has had built-in support for ZIP files and other tools for managing files. In five steps, users of Android phones can open ZIP files.
- Open Files by Google.
- Scroll to locate the ZIP you want to open or tap Browse to search larger directories for files by name.
- Tap the ZIP file to preview its contents.
- Tap Extract to unzip the file.
- If you wish to delete the ZIP file, select Delete ZIP file. Otherwise, click Done to create a folder of the same name.
FAQs
Zip files might not open if they were not saved right. Also, partial downloads happen when files get stuck because of things like a bad internet connection or an inconsistent network connection, which can all cause transfer errors, damage your Zip files, and make them unable to open.
If you got the ZIP file from the Internet or as an email attachment, it might be in your System Drive’s Downloads folder. Right-click on the ZIP file and choose “Extract All…” When you click “Extract All,” a new choice will pop up. In the menu that pops up, choose where you want the items to go.