ZIP Extractor
Free app for opening and creating ZIP files
Free app for opening and creating ZIP files
Last updated: 2026-04-23
Common questions and answers about ZIP Extractor. If you don't find what you need here, check the Help page or contact support.
ZIP Extractor is a free web app for opening and creating ZIP files. It runs entirely in your browser (nothing to install) and works with files from your computer, Google Drive, or Gmail. You can use it at zipextractor.app.
A ZIP file is a single file that groups one or more files (and folders) together. The contents are usually compressed, so they take up less space. That single ZIP file can then be sent or shared as one attachment, and opened on any computer or mobile device.
No. ZIP Extractor runs entirely in your browser at zipextractor.app. There's no app or extension to install.
ZIP Extractor works best in current versions of Chrome, Microsoft Edge, and Firefox. Safari is also supported, but has tighter memory limits than Chromium-based browsers, so very large archives may not open as reliably.
In addition to ZIP (including ZIPX), ZIP Extractor supports RAR, 7-Zip (.7z), TAR, and compressed TARs like GZIP (.gz), BZIP2 (.bz2), LZIP (.lz), and XZ (.xz). Several less common archive formats also work, including CPIO, DEB, ISO, and CAB.
Yes. ZIP Extractor handles split ZIPs (.z01, .z02, .zip) and multi-volume RAR archives (.part1.rar, .part2.rar, or .r01, .r02). When opening, select all the parts together.
Yes. When you preview an archive that lives inside another archive, click Open ZIP in the preview header to open it. You can nest as deep as you want, and use the breadcrumb to navigate back up.
Practical limits depend on your device and how much memory your browser gives each tab:
If you run into a memory limit, see File too large for available browser memory in the Help page.
Yes. You can preview many common file types directly from inside the archive, without extracting first:
Yes. ZIP Extractor includes a built-in audio player for MP3, WAV, and other common audio formats. Click any audio file in the listing to start playback. The player includes play/pause, previous/next, shuffle, autoplay, and repeat controls.
Yes. Open a ZIP and choose Grid view from the view selector in the upper right. Grid view is useful for archives full of photos, since you can scan thumbnails instead of opening each file individually.
Yes. Press / to open the search box, then type a filename or extension. Matching files are filtered instantly. Tip: while a search is active, choose Extract to extract just the filtered results.
ZIP Extractor is fully keyboard accessible.
Yes. Click Create New ZIP on the main page, or use the shortcut zip.new. Add files and folders from your computer or Google Drive (drag-and-drop works too), then download the finished ZIP or save it directly to Google Drive.
Yes. When creating a ZIP, you can set a password to encrypt its contents. ZIP Extractor supports two encryption methods:
For sensitive files, use AES-256. ZIP Extractor can also open password-protected RAR and 7-Zip archives created by other tools.
Yes. Choose Extract to Computer to save files directly to your device, or Extract to Drive to upload them to Google Drive. Extracting to Drive is handy on Chromebooks, phones, and tablets, or any time you want your files in the cloud.
Yes. You can "install" ZIP Extractor from the Google Workspace Marketplace so it appears in Google Drive's Open with and New menus. It's optional. ZIP Extractor works fine without installation too.
Yes. ZIP Extractor uses Google Sign-In, so you can use it with any Google account you're signed in to. If you open a Drive file owned by a different account than the one you're signed in with, ZIP Extractor will prompt you to switch.
To switch accounts manually, click your profile picture in the upper-right corner and choose a different account, or sign out and sign back in.
If you only use ZIP Extractor with files from your computer, no Google permissions are required.
The first time you use ZIP Extractor with Google Drive, you'll be asked to grant two non-sensitive scopes:
drive.file: Lets ZIP Extractor open the specific file you chose with "Open with" or the Drive picker, and save extracted files back to your Drive. ZIP Extractor cannot see any other files in your Drive.drive.install: Lets ZIP Extractor appear as an option in Drive's "Open with" and "New" menus.For more on these scopes, see Google's documentation on Google Drive API Scopes.
To remove ZIP Extractor from your Google account:
Your Google account itself isn't affected. Any files you previously extracted to Drive, and any ZIPs you previously opened with ZIP Extractor, will remain in your Drive.
See also: Google's help article on removing Google Drive apps.
No. ZIP Extractor is private by design. All file processing happens in your browser. There is no backend server that reads, processes, or stores your data, and the contents of your archive are never sent anywhere we control.
When you open a file from Google Drive or Gmail, ZIP Extractor reads it directly into your browser using Google's official APIs, with the permissions you grant. If you choose to save extracted files to Google Drive, they're written directly to your Drive through those same authenticated APIs. You can revoke ZIP Extractor's access at any time (see How do I uninstall or disconnect ZIP Extractor? above).
For the full details, see our Privacy Policy.
No. ZIP Extractor does not store, log, or share your email address.
When you sign in with Google, ZIP Extractor receives your name and email from Google for that browser session only, for two purposes:
We don't keep a mailing list and won't contact you unless you contact us first.
Both are linked in the footer of every page. You can also go directly to the Privacy Policy or the Terms of Service.
To open a ZIP, ZIP Extractor downloads the entire file to your browser before extraction can begin. On a metered cellular connection, downloading a large archive could use a noticeable chunk of your data plan. To avoid surprises, ZIP Extractor shows a warning before downloading any file larger than 10 MB on a mobile cellular connection. The warning never appears on desktop or Wi-Fi.
For more details, see Cellular data warning in the Help page.
If something isn't working, these steps resolve most issues:
For specific error messages (download failures, memory limits, preview errors), see the Help page. If problems persist, email support@zipextractor.app with a description of what's happening.
Yes. ZIP Extractor® is a registered trademark of Visware LLC, registered in the United States with the United States Patent and Trademark Office.
Yes. Reach out via the ZIP Extractor Support page and we'll respond by email.