How to use zip files: a practical map of every common operation

I have a zip — what do I want to do?

Before reaching for any specific tool, decide which of these you're trying to do. The right tool depends heavily on the goal:

• Open and browse it — you want to see the file tree and preview individual files (code, images, audio, video, PDFs) without pulling anything out. Go to how to open a zip file.
• Extract (unzip) it — you want the real files written to your disk so you can use them in other apps. Go to how to extract a zip file.
• Create (make) a new zip — you have files or a folder and want to compress them into an archive to send or store. Go to how to create a zip file.
• Password-protect (encrypt) it — you want to lock the archive so only someone with the password can open it. Go to how to password-protect a zip file.
• View what's inside without extracting — you just want to inspect the contents safely or privately, with no install and no files written to disk. Go to view contents of a zip without extracting.

Open and browse a zip

Opening a zip means looking at the list of files and folders inside it and previewing them — without necessarily copying anything to your computer yet. On Windows you can double-click a zip and it opens like a folder so you can browse inside; on macOS double-clicking typically extracts instead (via Archive Utility), so for browse-only you may want a tool like ZipTool or The Unarchiver.

If you'd rather preview code with syntax highlighting, images, audio, video, or PDFs directly inside the archive — and not write anything to disk — an in-browser viewer is the fastest path. See the full walkthrough: how to open a zip file.

Extract (unzip) its contents to disk

Extracting decompresses the archive and writes the original files to a folder on your computer, where other applications can open them normally. Every desktop OS has this built in: Windows offers Extract All in the right-click menu, and macOS double-click extracts into the same folder.

For more control (choosing where files go, handling large archives, dealing with split or multi-part zips), a dedicated tool like 7-Zip (Windows, free) or Keka / The Unarchiver (macOS) is more reliable. Full steps for each: how to extract a zip file.

Create (make) a new zip

Creating a zip takes one or more files or a folder and compresses them into a single zip archive — useful for emailing a batch of files, backing up a project, or making a download smaller. On Windows, select the files, right-click, and choose Send to then Compressed (zipped) folder (Windows 11 also offers Compress to ZIP file directly in the menu); on macOS, select the items, right-click, and pick Compress.

You can also control compression level, split the archive into parts, or use stronger formats like 7z with a tool like 7-Zip. Step-by-step for every method, including the zip command line: how to create a zip file.

Password-protect (encrypt) a zip

Encrypting a zip adds a password so the contents can't be read without it. Be aware the built-in Windows and macOS zip tools either don't support encryption at all or use a weak older scheme (ZipCrypto) that isn't considered secure — including macOS zip -e, which also uses ZipCrypto.

For real protection use AES-256 encryption (the WinZip AES extension, supported by 7-Zip and WinRAR). On Windows, 7-Zip's Add to archive dialog lets you set AES-256; on macOS, Keka offers the same. Or run the command line with a tool that supports AES. Note that an in-browser viewer like ZipTool cannot open encrypted archives — you'll need the password and a desktop tool. Full guide: how to password-protect a zip file.

View what's inside without extracting

Sometimes you just want to peek — check what a download contains, verify a file is in there, or preview a code file or image — without unpacking the whole archive onto your disk. This is the case where a no-install, in-browser viewer shines: drop the zip onto ZipTool and browse the tree and preview files immediately, with the contents never leaving your browser.

This is a privacy improvement (your files aren't uploaded to a server), not a security guarantee — a malicious archive is still malicious, so only open archives from sources you trust. More on the browse-only workflow: view contents of a zip without extracting.

Which tool should you use when?

There's overlap between these options, but each has a sweet spot. Pick based on what you're doing and the machine you're on:

• OS built-ins (Windows Explorer, macOS Finder / Archive Utility) — fastest for everyday extract and create. Limited format support and weak (or no) encryption.
• 7-Zip (Windows, free) — the most capable free desktop tool. Handles 7z, zip, tar, rar, strong AES-256 encryption, and multi-part archives. Command-line friendly too.
• The Unarchiver / Keka (macOS) — opens nearly any archive format and supports proper encryption. Keka can also create archives.
• Command line (zip, unzip, 7z) — best for automation, scripts, servers, and bulk operations where a GUI is in the way.
• In-browser viewer (ZipTool) — best for quickly previewing an archive's contents with nothing to install and no upload. Great for inspecting a zip before you commit to extracting it, or on a locked-down machine where you can't install software. It views and previews only — it does not create, extract to disk, or decrypt.

Quick start: preview a zip right now

If your goal is to look inside a zip — browse the file tree, search, and preview code, images, audio, video, or PDFs — you can do it immediately without installing anything. Open ZipTool, drag your archive onto the page (or paste a URL), and the contents render in your browser. Nothing is uploaded; parsing happens locally via zip.js.

When you're ready to do more — extract, create, or encrypt — follow the dedicated guides above for the right tool on your operating system.

Frequently asked questions