Content

• To step
• Method 1 of 4: iZip for the mobile
• Method 2 of 4: 7-Zip for Windows
• Method 3 of 4: WinZip for Windows
• Method 4 of 4: Unarchiver for Mac OS X
• Tips

If you come across a file with the extension ".7z", you may be wondering how to open it. These files, also known as "7z-" or "7-Zip files," are archives of one or more files in a single compressed package. You need a special decompression program to extract the files in such an archive. These programs or apps are usually available for free for any operating system, including iOS and Android. Learn how to open 7z files with iZip on your mobile device, 7-Zip or WinZip in Windows, and Unarchiver in Mac OS X.

To step

Method 1 of 4: iZip for the mobile

1. Find iZip in the App Store or Play Store. A 7z file is a compressed archive of one or more files. In order to open the files in the archive, you need an app to extract them. iZip is widely used on the web as it can extract this particular file for free.
2. Tap "Get" or "Install". The app will be downloaded and then installed on your device.
3. Tap the iZip icon to start the app.
4. Tap "Local Files" to find the 7z file. If the 7z file is in the cloud, select "iCloud Drive" or "Google Drive".
5. Press and hold the name of the 7z file. Hold your finger on the file until you see the message asking if you want to extract all files.
6. Tap OK. The contents of the 7z file will be extracted to a folder with the same name.
   • When the progress bar disappears, you can open the files by tapping them from iZip, or by going to the folder that contains them.

Method 2 of 4: 7-Zip for Windows

1. Go to the website of 7-Zip. Since 7z files are compressed archives, you cannot view their contents until the files are extracted with an extractor. 7-Zip can extract the contents of 7z archives in Windows at no cost.
   • Another popular option is WinZip, which has a free trial version. If you can't use the free option, try it with WinZip.
2. Click "Download" next to the file for your version (32-bit or 64-bit) of Windows.
   • If you are not sure whether you have a 64-bit or 32-bit version of Windows, press ⊞ Win+S. to start a search, and type "system". Click on "System" in the search results and look next to "System type".
3. Select a save location (such as your desktop) and click "Save".
4. Double-click the 7-Zip .exe file and click "Run". Follow the prompts to complete the installation of 7-Zip.
   • When the installation is complete, click "Finish".
5. Double-click the 7z file you want to open. The contents of the archive are displayed in the 7-Zip window.
6. Press Ctrl+a to select all files in the archive, then click "Extract".
7. Click the "…" button to choose a folder for saving the files. The folder you select is the one where the files in the 7z archive will be extracted.
   • The default selection is a new folder in the current directory, with the name of the 7z file.
   • Suppose this file is called Blue.7z and is on the desktop. The default new folder will then be placed on the desktop and will be named "Blue".
8. Click "OK" to extract the files to the folder. You will see a progress bar while extracting. When the files are extracted, the progress bar will disappear. At that point you can double click on the folder to access the files.

Method 3 of 4: WinZip for Windows

1. Double-click the 7z file. The 7z file is an archive containing one or more files, compressed to a smaller size. You have to extract the files to be able to open them. Some Windows users have already installed a version of WinZip, which should allow them to extract the 7z file.
   • If the 7z file won't open after you double-click it, continue with the following steps to download a trial version of WinZip.
   • You can always try 7-Zip for Windows first as a free solution.
2. Go to http://www.winzip.com/lan7z.htm. WinZip costs about € 30, but it is also possible to use a free trial version for 30 days.
3. Click on "Download Now" and save the installer in the Downloads folder.
4. Double-click the installer and select "Run". The program will be installed on your computer.
5. Double-click the 7z file. The contents of the 7z file will appear in the WinZip window.
6. Press Ctrl+a to select all files and folders in the 7z file.
7. Click the button labeled "1-click Unzip".
8. Select "Unzip to PC or Cloud" and select a destination folder. The default option is to create a new folder with the name of the 7z file, which should be enough.
9. Click "Unzip" or "Extract" to extract the contents of the 7z file to the folder. You can now view the files that were compressed in the 7z archive.

Method 4 of 4: Unarchiver for Mac OS X

1. Launch the App Store on your Mac. To access the files in a 7z archive, you need an app to extract them. Unarchiver is a popular option for the Mac and can be downloaded and installed from the App Store.
2. Type "Unarchiver" in the search field at the top of the App Store, and select the program when you see it in the search result.
3. Click "Get" or "Download" and then "Install App".
4. Follow the on-screen instructions to install Unarchiver on your computer.
5. Launch Unarchiver when installation is complete. A list of file associations appears on the screen.
6. Select "7-Zip archive" from the "File Formats" list. This tells the program to look for 7z files to open.
7. Go to the "Extraction" tab.
8. Select "Ask for a destination map" from the drop-down menu. This option allows you to choose a location where the files should be saved.
9. Double-click the 7z file you want to open. You will be asked to select a folder for extracting the files.
10. Choose a folder to store the contents of the 7z file and click "Extract". Unarchiver will now extract the files and copy them to the folder you selected. When the progress bar disappears, it has become possible to open the files.

Tips

• The file size of the 7z may be smaller than the folder you created by extracting. This is normal - and the reason files are compressed in this format is to create one file that is smaller and easy to send.
• Most programs that can extract 7z files can also create them.