How to Unzip and Open Zip File on Android?

A ZIP is a file format that is used for creating compressed files and folders. The benefits for the same are aplenty. The obvious one is that it saves considerable storage space by reducing the overall file size.

Moreover, if you are planning to upload the file to the clouds or servers, it would also result in network bandwidth savings. So with such a plethora of benefits involved, there’s no hidden secret why this is quickly becoming the go-to file format for many users.

And once you have got hold of a ZIP file, you could simply extract it to any convenient location on your device, which in turn will give you all the associated files of that package. In this regard, Windows PCs come with a native ZIP extractor.

However, that isn’t the case with Android devices. But even then, there exist some handy methods through which you could easily extract any ZIP file onto your Android phones. And this guide shall make you aware of just that. Follow along.

How to Unzip Zip Files on Android?

In this tutorial, we will be sharing two different methods to carry out the aforementioned task. The first one will make use of your device’s built-in file explorer app, whereas the second method will focus on a dedicated ZIP extractor. So without any further ado, let’s check out both of them.

Extract ZIP on Android via File Explorer

Many OEMs ship their devices with a built-in File Explorer app. Apart from the usual task of managing files and folders, most of them also support the file extraction process. Let’s check out how to carry out this process across four major smartphone manufacturers.

On Pixel/Android One Devices

1. On your Pixel or Android One device, launch the Files by Google app.
2. Then navigate to the desired ZIP and tap on it once.
3. Doing so shall bring up a dialog box that will show you all the contents of that ZIP file.
   
4. Likewise, at the bottom, you should see the Extract button; tap on it.
5. The extraction process will now begin, and once done, you shall be notified of the same.
6. You may now delete this ZIP file as well if it is no longer needed. For that, just enable the Delete ZIP File option.

That’s it. These were the steps to extract ZIP files on the Pixel series and Android One devices.

On OnePlus Devices

1. Head over to the File Manager app on your OnePlus device.
2. Then go to the Categories section and tap on the Archive option situated there.
3. This will bring up a list of all the ZIP files present on your device.
   
4. Select the required one and hit the Unzip button situated at the top right.
5. It will now ask you the location where the extracted files need to be placed. Choose the desired option and tap OK.
   

With this, the ZIP file now stands extracted on your OnePlus device.

On Samsung Devices

1. Open the My Files app on your Samsung phone.
2. Then browse to the desired ZIP file and select it.
   
3. It shall bring up a list of all the files inside that compressed file.
4. You just need to hit the Extract button situated at the bottom right.

The ZIP file will now be extracted onto your Samsung device.

On Xiaomi Devices

1. Launch the File Explorer app on your Xiaomi phone.
2. Then tap on the More button and select Archives from the expanded menu.
3. It will show you all the ZIP files that are currently stored on your device.
   
4. Select the file of your choice and then tap on the ‘Extract Files to’ option.
5. Finally, select the desired location and press the Extract button situated at the bottom.

These were the steps to unzip and open ZIP files on your Xiaomi devices.

Unzip and Open Zip File on Android via Extractor App

If your device doesn’t come with a built-in File Manager app or if it doesn’t support handling ZIP files, then fret not. The Android ecosystem is currently flooded with apps that are capable of doing this job quite efficiently.

As for this guide, we will be sticking with RAR. While WinZip was also an option, but it only provides three days of free usage, after which you would have to purchase its full version. On the other hand, RAR is completely free to try.

1. Download and install the RAR app onto your device from the Play Store.
2. Then launch it and navigate to the desired ZIP file.
3. Select it and tap on the Extract icon situated at the top menu bar.
   
4. After this, select the destination folder where the extracted files need to be placed.
5. Finally, hit the OK button and wait for the process to finish. That’s it; the process stands complete.

With this, we round off the guide on how you could unzip and open a ZIP file on your Android devices. We have shared two different methods for the same: using a built-in file explorer or via a third-party extraction app. Do let us know in the comments section which one you ultimately decided to settle for.

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