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How to Open a Zip File

This wikiHow teaches you how to open and extract a ZIP folder on your computer, smartphone, or tablet. ZIP folders are used to compress files into smaller versions, making them easier to store and transport. In order to view and use a ZIP...

Method 1 of 4:

On Windows

  1. images 1 of How to Open a Zip File
    Images 1 of How to Open a Zip File
    Make sure Windows uses File Explorer to open ZIP folders. If you've installed a program such as 7zip or WinRAR on your computer, your ZIP folders may open in them instead of in File Explorer, which is unnecessary since Windows can both open and unzip ZIP folders. You can reset the program used for ZIP folders by doing the following:
    1. Open Start
      images 2 of How to Open a Zip File
      Images 2 of How to Open a Zip File
      .
    2. Type in choose a default app.
    3. Click Choose a default app for each type of file.
    4. Scroll down to the ".zip" heading near the bottom of the page.
    5. Click the program to the right of the ".zip" heading, then click Windows Explorer.
  2. images 3 of How to Open a Zip File
    Images 3 of How to Open a Zip File
    Go to the ZIP folder. Open the location in which the ZIP folder that you want to open is located.
  3. images 4 of How to Open a Zip File
    Images 4 of How to Open a Zip File
    Double-click the ZIP folder. Doing so opens the ZIP folder. You should see the contents of the ZIP folder here.
    1. If you just want to view the ZIP folder's compressed contents, you can stop here.
    2. The contents of the ZIP folder may appear different when compressed than when you extract them.
  4. images 5 of How to Open a Zip File
    Images 5 of How to Open a Zip File
    Click the Extract tab. It's at the top of the window. Doing so prompts a toolbar to appear at the top of the window.
  5. images 6 of How to Open a Zip File
    Images 6 of How to Open a Zip File
    Click Extract all. This is in the toolbar at the top of the window. Clicking it prompts a pop-up window.
  6. images 7 of How to Open a Zip File
    Images 7 of How to Open a Zip File
    Select an extraction location if necessary. By default, your ZIP folder will extract its contents to the same folder in which it is located (e.g., if the ZIP folder is on the Desktop, the extracted folder will also appear on the desktop). If you want to extract the folder to a different location, do the following:
    1. Click Browse... to the right of the text box in the middle of the window.
    2. Select a folder.
    3. Click Select Folder in the bottom-right corner.
  7. images 8 of How to Open a Zip File
    Images 8 of How to Open a Zip File
    Check the "Show extracted files when complete" box. This is in the middle of the window. Selecting this option ensures that the ZIP folder's extracted contents will be displayed as soon as you finish extracting them.
  8. images 9 of How to Open a Zip File
    Images 9 of How to Open a Zip File
    Click Extract. It's at the bottom of the window. Doing so extracts the ZIP folder's files into a regular folder; once the extraction is complete, the regular folder will open to display the files.
Method 2 of 4:

On Mac

  1. images 10 of How to Open a Zip File
    Images 10 of How to Open a Zip File
    Go to the ZIP folder. Open the location in which the ZIP folder that you want to open is located.
  2. images 11 of How to Open a Zip File
    Images 11 of How to Open a Zip File
    Move the ZIP folder if necessary. The ZIP folder's contents will automatically extract to the folder in which the ZIP folder is located. To copy the ZIP folder to a different location, do the following:
    1. Click once the ZIP folder to select it.
    2. Click Edit at the top of the screen.
    3. Click Copy in the drop-down menu.
    4. Go to the folder in which you want to extract the folder.
    5. Click Edit, then click Paste in the drop-down menu.
  3. images 12 of How to Open a Zip File
    Images 12 of How to Open a Zip File
    Double-click the ZIP folder. Doing so will prompt the ZIP folder to begin extracting into a regular folder in your current location.
  4. images 13 of How to Open a Zip File
    Images 13 of How to Open a Zip File
    Wait for the extracted folder to open. Once the ZIP folder finishes extracting, the regular folder to which it extracted will open to display the extracted files.
Method 3 of 4:

On iPhone

  1. images 14 of How to Open a Zip File
    Images 14 of How to Open a Zip File
    Download the Unzip app. This app, which allows you to extract and view ZIP folders' compressed files, is free in the App Store:
    1. Open your iPhone's
      images 15 of How to Open a Zip File
      Images 15 of How to Open a Zip File
      App Store.
    2. Tap Search.
    3. Tap the search bar at the top of the screen.
    4. Type in unzip, then tap Search.
    5. Tap GET to the right of the "Unzip - zip file opener" heading.
    6. Enter your Touch ID, Face ID, or Apple ID password when prompted.
  2. images 16 of How to Open a Zip File
    Images 16 of How to Open a Zip File
    Find your ZIP folder. Open the app or location in which your ZIP folder is stored. This step will vary, but common locations for ZIP folders on an iPhone include the following:
    1. Email — Open your email app (e.g., Gmail or Mail), select the email in which the ZIP folder is stored, and scroll down if necessary to view the ZIP folder's name.
    2. Files — Tap the
      images 17 of How to Open a Zip File
      Images 17 of How to Open a Zip File
      Files app icon, tap Browse, tap the location in which the ZIP folder is located (you may have to navigate through a few different folders).
  3. images 18 of How to Open a Zip File
    Images 18 of How to Open a Zip File
    Tap the ZIP folder. Doing so will open the ZIP folder's preview.
  4. images 19 of How to Open a Zip File
    Images 19 of How to Open a Zip File
    Tap the "Share"
    images 20 of How to Open a Zip File
    Images 20 of How to Open a Zip File
    icon. It's usually in the bottom-right or top-right corner of the screen. This will bring up a menu at the bottom of the screen.
  5. images 21 of How to Open a Zip File
    Images 21 of How to Open a Zip File
    Scroll right and tap Copy to Unzip. You'll find this in the menu's top row of apps. Doing so opens the Unzip app with your ZIP folder in it.
  6. images 22 of How to Open a Zip File
    Images 22 of How to Open a Zip File
    Tap your ZIP folder's name. You should see it in the middle of Unzip. This will automatically extract the ZIP folder's contents to a regular folder of the same name.
    1. Unfortunately, Unzip doesn't allow you to view the ZIP folder's files without extracting them.
  7. images 23 of How to Open a Zip File
    Images 23 of How to Open a Zip File
    Tap the unzipped folder. It's a yellow item with the same name as your ZIP folder. Doing so opens the folder to display your ZIP folder's formerly compressed files.
Method 4 of 4:

On Android

  1. images 24 of How to Open a Zip File
    Images 24 of How to Open a Zip File
    Download the ZIP folder if necessary. If the ZIP folder isn't already on your Android, you should be able to download it by going to its location and tapping its download link. This will place the ZIP folder in your Android's "Download" folder.
    1. If the ZIP folder is in Google Drive, long-press the ZIP folder, then tap Download in the resulting menu.
    2. If the ZIP folder is in Gmail, tap the "Download"
      images 25 of How to Open a Zip File
      Images 25 of How to Open a Zip File
      icon next to the folder's name in the email.
  2. images 26 of How to Open a Zip File
    Images 26 of How to Open a Zip File
    Download the WinZip app. You can download the free WinZip app in order to find and extract your ZIP folder:
    1. Open the
      images 27 of How to Open a Zip File
      Images 27 of How to Open a Zip File
      Google Play Store.
    2. Tap the search bar.
    3. Type in winzip.
    4. Tap WinZip - Zip UnZip Tool in the drop-down results.
    5. Tap INSTALL.
  3. images 28 of How to Open a Zip File
    Images 28 of How to Open a Zip File
    Open WinZip. Tap OPEN on the WinZip page, or tap the WinZip app icon in your Android's App Drawer.
  4. images 29 of How to Open a Zip File
    Images 29 of How to Open a Zip File
    Tap ALLOW when prompted. Doing so lets WinZip access your Android's files.
  5. images 30 of How to Open a Zip File
    Images 30 of How to Open a Zip File
    Scroll right and tap START. You'll have to scroll through four screens to get to the START button.
  6. images 31 of How to Open a Zip File
    Images 31 of How to Open a Zip File
    Select your default storage. Depending on the ZIP folder's location, you'll either tap Internal to select your Android's internal storage or tap SD card (or similar) to access your Android's SD card if available.
  7. images 32 of How to Open a Zip File
    Images 32 of How to Open a Zip File
    Open the ZIP folder's location. Go to the folder in which you've saved the ZIP folder.
    1. You may have to scroll down to find the correct folder.
  8. images 33 of How to Open a Zip File
    Images 33 of How to Open a Zip File
    Select the ZIP folder. Find the ZIP folder in the current location, then tap once the checkbox to the right of its name to select it.
  9. images 34 of How to Open a Zip File
    Images 34 of How to Open a Zip File
    Tap the "Unzip" icon. It's a box with a zipper on it at the top of the screen, just left of the empty checkbox. A pop-up menu will appear.
  10. images 35 of How to Open a Zip File
    Images 35 of How to Open a Zip File
    Select a folder in which to store the unzipped folder. Tap Storage, tap your preferred storage option (e.g., Internal), and tap a folder in which you want to extract the ZIP folder.
  11. images 36 of How to Open a Zip File
    Images 36 of How to Open a Zip File
    Tap UNZIP HERE. It's at the bottom of the screen. Doing so extracts the ZIP folder's files into your selected folder from which point you should be able to open them.
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