Sometimes when you want to download a file, you realize that it comes in .zip format. If you don’t know what it is and are having trouble opening it, you’re in the right place. This article will teach you how to unzip zip files using default applications in Windows and macOS, as well as third-party programs.
What is a .zip file?
The archiving process consists of combining several files and treating them as one. This process is usually done by compressing the files in question to make them easier to manage.
The preservation of the original data structure depends on whether a lossy or lossless data compression method is used.
A .zip file is an archive containing one or more files that have been compressed to reduce their size. Compressing a file is useful because it saves up to 80% or more storage space.
In addition, compressing large files allows them to be uploaded and sent more quickly over the Internet, while decreasing the chance of file corruption. Users can also use the .zip format to encrypt their data for greater security.
Many programs can be used to decompress files. However, your computer usually comes equipped with a built-in program that can perform the task without any problems.
Two ways to decompress zip files
There are two ways to extract compressed files:
- Using your operating system’s built-in software.
- Using third-party tools.
Let’s look at each of these options in more detail.
1. Using a tool built into the operating system
First, let’s look at how to extract archives using the software found in Windows and macOS. Since you are using what your computer already has, there is no need to download another tool.
Windows
Although it is possible to view the contents of a zip file by double-clicking on it in Windows, it is still necessary to extract the files in order to use it. The default Windows support for .zip is called zipped folders and here is how to use it:
- Right-click on the file you want to unzip and choose Extract All.
- Choose the folder where you want to save the extracted files and click Extract. It is optional to check the box below if you need to see the contents when the extraction is finished
- The files that were inside the .zip can now be found in the location you chose in the second step.
macOS
Archive Utility is the built-in Mac tool that handles the .zip format. To unzip a file in macOS, follow these steps:
- Double-click on the file you want to unzip.
- Once extracted, the file will appear in the same folder as the zip file.
If you want to change the default folder location, access your local disk and find the folder System -> Library -> CoreServices -> Applications -> Archive Utility. Once there, select Preferences and set the location by clicking Save uncompressed items.
2. Use a third-party tool
Although you don’t need to download third-party tools to extract a zip file, they come with additional features that allow you to customize, password-protect, and repair your zip files.
Here are some of them we recommend.
WinRAR
WinRAR is a desktop application that makes it easy to compress or decompress files with a single click. It’s very simple to use, as all you have to do is choose which files or folders you want and the application will do the rest automatically.
At present, you can download a trial version of WinRAR from the official page. This is free and can help you if you only need to compress or decompress a few files, but it only lasts for 30 days before you have to activate the license. If you want the full version, you’ll have to buy it; it costs 567 Pesos and the license is for life.
To unzip a file, it’s even easier: just select it, right-click, search for WinRAR again in the list, and then select the “Extract here” option. This will unzip the files automatically.
You can also select “Extract files…” to select different extraction path and options:
You can select to overwrite the files with the same names while extracting, rename them and different of other options as shown below:
In fact, it’s so simple that we can use WinRAR to compress or decompress any type of file, remembering that if you’re downloading Internet files, some may contain a password that you have to type in first, but the next one you’ll be asked to unzip.
7-Zip
This file archiver is a free and open-source program with a 2-10% higher compression rate than WinZip and PKZip. It also has its own 7z extension that compresses data 30-70% better than the .zip format.
Although it is only available for Windows, it also has a Linux/Posix command line port called p7zip.
To decompress with this tool, follow these steps:
- Right-click on the file you plan to extract. 7-Zip should appear there after installation.
- Go to 7-Zip and you will see a drop-down menu with several commands. Click on Extract Files.
- In the next menu, choose the save location by clicking on the three dots. Leave it like this if you want it in the same folder as the original. Click OK.
- You can also choose Extract here to immediately save your file to the archive location or Extract to [File name] to make a folder with the extracted data.
