Guide
How to open & unzip ZIP files on iPad & iPhone
iPadOS can unzip many .zip files on its own — but it gives you no preview, no way to pull out a single file, and it stalls on large or password-protected zips. Here's the built-in method and a better one.
Free · 1.3 MB · iOS/iPadOS 16+ · No ads, no subscription
The built-in way (Files app)
Open the Files app
Navigate to the folder that holds your .zip file.
Long-press the .zip
Touch and hold the file, then choose Uncompress. A new folder appears beside it.
That's it — when it works. But there's no preview, you can't extract a single file, and it often fails on big, encrypted, or oddly-encoded zips. That's where 7zen comes in.
The better way (7zen)
Install 7zen (free)
Open the .zip in 7zen
Tap the file, or use 7zen from the share sheet, to browse what's inside.
Preview, then pick
Tap any file for a full-size preview, and choose to extract everything or just the files you want.
Save anywhere
Send extracted files to Files, iCloud Drive, AirDrop, or any other app.
Not a ZIP after all?
If your "zip" is really another format, 7zen opens those too:
Frequently asked questions
Can the iPad open ZIP files without an app?
Often, yes — the Files app can unzip many .zip files by long-pressing and choosing Uncompress. But it gives no preview, no partial extraction, and can fail on large, password-protected, or unusually encoded zips. 7zen handles those and shows the contents first.
Why won't a ZIP open in the Files app?
Common reasons: the zip is very large, uses an encoding the Files app doesn't support, is password-protected, or is actually a different format with a .zip name. 7zen opens a wider range of zips and tells you what's inside.
Can I extract just one file from a ZIP?
Yes. Unlike the built-in Uncompress, 7zen lets you preview the contents and extract only the files you actually want.
Is 7zen free?
Yes — completely free, with no ads, no in-app purchases, and no subscription, on iPhone and iPad (iOS/iPadOS 16+).