Guides

How to open archive files on iPad & iPhone

iPadOS and iOS can unzip a plain .zip and nothing else. For 7z, RAR, tar.gz and every other compressed format you need a real archive opener. Pick your format below for the exact steps — or grab 7zen and open them all.

Download 7zen on the App Store

Free · 1.3 MB · iOS/iPadOS 16+ · No ads, no subscription

7zen home screen on iPad with a Browse Files button and tags for supported archive formats
7zen on iPad
7zen home screen on iPhone with a Browse Files button and supported format tags
7zen on iPhone

Guides by format

Open a 7z file
.7z — not supported by iOS
Open a RAR file
.rar — not supported by iOS
Open a .tar.gz file
.tar.gz · .tgz · .tar.bz2 · .tar.xz
Unzip ZIP files
.zip — including ones Files won't open

Which formats does iPadOS support?

Apple's Files app includes one built-in unzipper, for the .zip format. Everything else needs an app:

Built in to iPadOS / iOS

.zip

Needs an app like 7zen

.7z.rar.tar.gz.tgz.tar.bz2.tbz2.tar.xz.txz.tar.gz.bz2.xz.lz4

The general steps (any format)

1

Install a free archive opener

Get 7zen from the App Store — no ads, no sign-in.

2

Tap the archive

From Files, Mail, a Safari download, or AirDrop — tap it and 7zen opens it automatically.

3

Preview, extract, save

See what's inside, preview any file, then extract all or some to Files, iCloud, or any app.

Frequently asked questions

What is the best app to open archives on iPad?

7zen opens every common archive format — 7z, RAR, ZIP, tar.gz and more — for free with no ads, no subscription, and no tracking. It previews files before extracting and never connects to the internet.

Which archive formats can't iPadOS open on its own?

iPadOS and iOS only handle .zip natively. They have no built-in support for .7z, .rar, .tar.gz, .tar.bz2, .tar.xz, .gz, .bz2, .xz, or .lz4. An app like 7zen adds all of those.

Is there a free archive opener for iPhone with no ads?

Yes. 7zen is completely free with zero ads, in-app purchases, subscriptions, or tracking. It works on iPhone, iPad, Apple Silicon Mac, and Apple Vision Pro.