How To Open A Zip File On Iphone 6

ZIP files are one of the most common compressed file formats. Irrespective of your device, you should be able to open these kinds of files without any issues. If you received or downloaded a ZIP file on your iPhone or iPad, you'll be glad to know that you can open these file types even without a third-party app.

Read on to learn how to open ZIP files on your iPhone or iPad.

How to Open ZIP Files on Your iPhone and iPad

Compressing large files into ZIP archives is handy if you need to share them via the internet. Not only is file compression storage efficient, but it also makes up for faster file transfers. And if you're on the receiving end, it pays to know how to open ZIP, TAR, RAR, and other compressed file formats.

Here's how to open a ZIP file on your iPhone or iPad (this procedure also works for TAR files):

Open the Files app on your iPhone or iPad.
Navigate to the ZIP file you want to open. If you downloaded the file from the internet, select Downloads.
Tap the ZIP file to open it. Your iPhone will immediately start unpacking the ZIP archive.
You will see a new folder with an identical name in the same folder as the ZIP archive. Keep in mind you can change the folder name if you want to. Simply tap and hold on to the folder, select Rename from the pop-up menu, type your new name, and tap Done on the keyboard to finish.
Tap the new folder to view the contents of the ZIP file.

How to Open ZIP Files Received in WhatsApp or the Mail App

If the ZIP file was sent to you via WhatsApp, Mail, or another messaging app, you'd have to save it in the Files app first. Here's how you should go about it:

Open the respective messaging app.
Tap the ZIP file.
Hit the Share icon, which looks like an arrow coming out of box.
Choose Save to Files from the popup, and select where you want your ZIP file to be saved.
Tap Save.
To open the ZIP file, follow the steps in the section above using the Files app.

And if you have files in iCloud, our in-depth article on how to access and manage iCloud Drive files should come in handy.

iOS has no limitations on how to unzip files, but there's a catch. While you can unzip any ZIP file, you won't be able to open any file type. For unsupported files, you have to seek compatible third-party applications.

Best Third-Party Apps to Open ZIP Files on iPhone and iPad

In addition to using the built-in option, you can also open ZIP files on an iPhone or iPad using third-party tools. We've listed three of the best third-party tools that can you perform the same on your iPhone and iPad. These are useful if you also use other file formats that your iPhone can't read, and you want to use a single app for all of them.

1. iZip

iZip is a handy iOS app for opening ZIP files. It's easy to use and has an intuitive user interface. On top of that, iZip can also unpack many compressed file formats, including RAR, 7Z, ZIPX, TAR, ISO, TGZ, to name a few. But iZip is a fully-fledged app that offers more than simply opening ZIP files.

iZip also lets you access files stored in several cloud storage services, including iCloud, Google Drive, OneDrive, Dropbox, and Box. You can also append files to ZIP files, create encrypted and unencrypted ZIP files, and open some file types inside the app like PDF, TXT, JPG, PNG, etc.

To open a ZIP file using iZip, follow these steps:

Launch iZip and tap Document Browser.
Select Browse at the bottom.
Navigate to your ZIP file or any archive format supported by the app.
Tap the ZIP file to import.
Select Yes on the prompt to open the archive.
Tap OK in the "Would you like to unzip all files?" prompt. Alternatively, you can select Cancel and select a few files to unzip instead of the entire archive.
iZip will store unzipped files in the same folder as the imported archive (under Files in iZip).

Download: iZip (Free) | iZip Pro ($6.99)

2. WinZip

Although WinZip doesn't support as many compressed file formats as iZip, it gets the job done effortlessly. WinZip supports major compressed file formats like ZIP, ZIPX, RAR, and 7Z. You can also connect it to your Dropbox, Google Drive, iCloud, and OneDrive accounts.

WinZip can zip files and encrypt your archives as well. There's also built-in functionality that lets you view word documents, PDFs, Excel spreadsheets, PowerPoint presentations, certain web documents, and different media files within a ZIP or RAR archive—without unzipping.

And most importantly, WinZip has a simple UI and makes the whole experience effortless.

To unzip files using WinZip, follow these steps:

Open WinZip and navigate to your ZIP file location.
Tap the ZIP archive. This will take you inside the ZIP file.
Tap the three-dotted lines on the right of the folder.
Select Unzip from the popup.
Choose where the files should be stored, and tap Unzip at the bottom.

If you don't want to unzip the entire archive, do this instead:

Tap the archive.
Tap the inside folder to view the contents of your archive.
Hit Select in the upper right and tap to choose only the files you want to unzip.
Once done, tap More in the lower right and select Unzip from the popup.
Select where you want the files to be store and tap Unzip.

Download: WinZip (Free) | WinZip Pro ($4.99)

Zip & RAR File Extractor is another excellent app for opening ZIP files on iPhone. The app's key functionality includes the ability to unzip ZIP, RAR, and 7Z archives. You can also create ZIP and 7Z archives using the app.

Like its peers, Zip & RAR File Extractor allows integration with iCloud, Dropbox, Google Drive, and OneDrive. It also has an inbuilt viewer for images, PDF files, certain document types, and a Wi-Fi transfer feature.

Follow these steps to open a ZIP file using Zip & RAR File Extractor:

Tap iCloud Drive > Browse.
Navigate to your ZIP file and tap it to import.
Select Files as your target location.
Go to Files.
Tap your ZIP archive and select Extract from the pop-up. The app will create a new folder with an identical name to your ZIP file.

Download: Zip & RAR File Extractor (Free, in-app purchases available)

Easily Open ZIP Files on iPhone and iPad

Opening ZIP files on your iPhone and iPad is easy. iOS and iPadOS have built-in functionality for opening these types of archives in a flush. You can also open TAR archives the same way. And if you want more versatility, use third-party apps like iZip, WinZip, and Zip & RAR File Extractor to get the job done.

Remember, if you have ZIP files in Google Drive, you can unzip directly in the cloud.

How to Unzip ZIP Files in Google Drive Without Downloading First

On the desktop, you have utilities like WinZip and 7-Zip. But what if the ZIP file is on Google Drive and you want to unzip it without downloading it?