How to Open 7-Zip, RAR, & ZIP Files on Android: Best Apps

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Extract or unzip 7z, RAR, & ZIP archives on your phone or tablet

Co-authored by Luigi Oppido and Darlene Antonelli, MA

Last Updated: September 15, 2025 Fact Checked

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• Using ZArchiver
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• Using Files by Google
|
• FAQ
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• Video
|
• Tips

|Show more |Show less

Do you want to open a 7z, RAR, or ZIP file on Android? While only ZIP files can be extracted without downloading extra software, you'll need a free app from the Google Play Store to open 7z (7-Zip) and RAR files on your phone or tablet. This wikiHow guide will teach you how to extract and unpack 7z and other types of files on your Android.

Is there 7-Zip for Android?

There isn't an official 7-Zip app for Android, but you can still unzip .7z files by installing a third-party file extraction app like ZArchiver or 7-Zipper, both of which can also open RAR, ZIP, and TAR files. If you just want to unzip a ZIP file on Android, open Files by Google, select the file, and tap Extract.

Steps

Section 1 of 3:

Using ZArchiver to Open 7z, RAR, & ZIP Files

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1. 
   1
   Install ZArchiver from the Play Store. If you need to open a 7z, RAR, TAR, TAR.GZ, BZIP2, or other type of compressed file on your Android, you'll need an app that can extract those file formats. There's no 7-Zip for Android, but Zarchiver is a great alternative, as it can open 7z files and much more. If you don't already have it installed, you can get it for free from the Google Play Store by following these steps:

   • Open the Google Play Store app.
   • Tap the "Search" icon at the bottom of your screen.
   • Type zarchiver into the search field and tap the ZArchiver by "ZDevs" result.
   • Tap Install.
   • Other alternatives to 7-Zip for Android include RAR by RARLAB, 7Zipper, and Zee Archiver.
2. 
   2
   Open ZArchiver and navigate to the archived file. Tap through your files until you get to a 7z, RAR, or other archive file you want to unzip.
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3. 
   3
   Tap the file you want to extract. A menu slides up from the bottom of the screen.
4. 
   4
   Tap Extract here or select a location. The Extract Here option will open and extract the contents of the file to the same location. The other option, Extract to…, will prompt you to select a location on your Android into which the contents of the file will be extracted.

   • ZArchiver may take a moment to extract your file, depending on the size.
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Section 2 of 3:

Using Files by Google to Open ZIP Files

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1. 
   1
   Open Files by Google. If you want to unzip a file that ends with the .ZIP file extension, you don't need to install any additional software–you can use your Android's built-in file manager to open it. It's an app that looks like a blue, red, yellow, and green folder.

   • If you don't have this app, you can download it from the Google Play Store, or, in most cases, you can use your Android's default file manager app (e.g., My Files for Samsung phones and tablets) to unzip files.
   • Computer & tech specialist Luigi Oppido likens ZIP files to satchels, where you can't see the goodies inside the bag until you open and extract them. "If you want to send 30 photos you took from a skydiving adventure to a friend but you don't want to send 30 individual files," he explains, "you can throw them into a little satchel (a ZIP file), and send that instead."
2. 
   2
   Select the ZIP file you want to open. A pop-up appears.
3. 
   3
   Tap Extract. You'll see a preview of all the files compressed inside the ZIP file. You will also have the option to check the box next to "Delete ZIP file" to get rid of the .ZIP file once you have extracted the files inside.
4. 
   4
   Tap Done. Your files will begin extracting and are in the same file as the original .zip file.
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Section 3 of 3:

FAQ

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1. 1
   How do I open a password-protected ZIP file? If the file you want to unzip or unpack is locked with a password, ZArchiver will prompt you to enter the file's password to extract its contents. You will not be able to open or unzip the file without entering the password.
2. 2
   Is there a RAR opener for Android? You can open and extract RAR files using free apps like ZArchiver or RAR by Rarlab.
3. 3
   How can I create compressed files on Android? If you want to create a 7z or RAR file on your Android, you can use ZArchiver. In ZArchiver, select the multiple files that you want to compress into an archive, then tap the "Compress" icon to create a new 7z or RAR file.
4. 4
   Can I use ZArchiver for regular file management? With ZArchiver, you can copy, move, delete, and rename files easily!
5. 5
   What do I do if I get a "Memory Full" error in Files by Google? You want to free up space since the error means you don't have a lot of space. Do things like resetting the cache for your installed apps, uninstalling apps that you don't use, and moving your pictures and videos to an external drive or the cloud to get more space.
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Tips

• 7-Zip can also be used to highly compress large files to make them easier to share.
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• Just because you can extract a ZIP folder's files doesn't mean those files can be opened or played on your Android.
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