How to open .ZIP files on Mac
To open .ZIP files on Mac, double-click the ZIP file to extract using Archive Utility.
Step-by-step instructions
- Double-click the ZIP file to extract using Archive Utility.
- Right-click and select 'Open With' > 'Keka' for more features.
- Use The Unarchiver: Right-click, choose 'Open With', then 'The Unarchiver'.
Recommended software
- Archive Utility (built in)
- The Unarchiver (free)
Common issues
Archive is invalid or corrupted
The ZIP file may be corrupted due to incomplete downloads or transfer errors.
- Redownload the ZIP file from the original source.
- Check the file's checksum if provided to verify integrity.
- Try extracting with a different archive tool like 7-Zip or WinRAR.
Extraction fails due to password protection
The ZIP file is encrypted and requires a password to extract.
- Contact the sender to obtain the correct password.
- Use a tool that supports password-protected ZIP files, like WinRAR or iZip.
Files missing after extraction
Some files may not appear due to hidden attributes or extraction errors.
- Ensure all files were selected during extraction.
- Use a different extraction tool to see if it resolves the issue.
- Check for hidden files in the extracted folder.
"The Compressed (zipped) Folder is invalid" / "End-of-central-directory signature not found"
The first message comes from Windows, the second from the unzip command. Both mean the archive is incomplete or damaged, usually because the download was interrupted.
- Download the file again and compare its size with the source; a much smaller file means an interrupted download.
- Try 7-Zip (Windows) or The Unarchiver (Mac); they can often extract the intact part of a damaged archive.
- If the archive is split into parts (.z01, .z02 …), keep all parts in the same folder and open the .zip part.
- Ask the sender for a fresh copy if none of the tools can read it.
The archive asks for a password or shows "unsupported compression method"
ZIP can be encrypted with AES, and newer methods such as Deflate64 or LZMA are not supported by every built-in extractor.
- Get the password from the sender; extraction cannot work without it.
- Use 7-Zip (Windows) or The Unarchiver (Mac), which support AES and more compression methods than the built-in tools.
Still can’t open your .ZIP file?
Repair a damaged .ZIP file
If the file opens with errors or not at all, a dedicated repair tool can often rebuild it. Work on a copy and keep the original file untouched.
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Security note
Always scan extracted files with antivirus software before opening.