While macOS’s built-in extraction tool does the job, you can’t open a ZIP file without extracting all of its contents, which isn’t ideal in some situations. Let’s discuss several methods you can use to open ZIP files on a Mac.
Open ZIP Files on a Mac Using the Built-In Archive Utility
The simplest way to extract content from a ZIP file in macOS is by using the built-in extraction tool. This method may be simple, but it does get results. Here’s how to open a ZIP file on a Mac:
Locate the ZIP file you want to open. Double-click the file.
That’s it. A folder with the extracted content will appear in the same location as the original file, if you haven’t altered the default preferences. You can also use Archive utility to compress files when needed.
Additionally, you can change the way Archive Utility behaves by accessing the app’s preferences. Settings are sparse, but you’re able to alter Finder’s behavior and choose what happens to archived and extracted files. To access Archive Utility’s preferences, follow these steps:
Do a Spotlight search for Archive Utility and launch the app. You can locate the application manually, but it resides deep in /System/Library/CoreServices/Applications. Navigate to Archive Utility > Preferences. Alter the settings as needed.
View the Contents of a ZIP File Without Extracting
If you want to list the contents of a ZIP file without extracting anything, you can do so with a simple Terminal command. The command won’t allow you to extract individual files but will give you insight into what’s in the archive without getting a third-party app involved. To view the contents of a ZIP file without extraction, follow these steps:
Launch Terminal. Enter the zipinfo command followed by the archive location, for example: zipinfo ~/Downloads/Archive. zip Read the output.
The Terminal method is crude, but it does provide a complete list of the archive’s contents. If you want to view the interior of a ZIP file using a more intuitive interface or extract individual items, you’ll need to use a third-party app.
Open ZIP Files on a Mac Using a Free Third-Party Application
While the standard macOS extraction method works well enough, you may occasionally want to extract specific files from a ZIP archive. In which case, you’ll need to use a specialized third-party application.
If you want an app that’s free and functional, Commander One is a worthy choice. With this application, you can open ZIP files without extracting the contents, view everything inside, and copy individual items from the archive.
The application also has a whole lot of other features worth exploring, and the unpaid version will more than meet the needs of most people. You can even use the app to open RAR files and other archives that you may occasionally stumble upon. Commander One is available for free on the Mac App Store.
Download: Commander One (Free)
Opening Archives Is Still Necessary
As storage capacities have increased, the need for compressing files has diminished. In the past, zipping an item to shave off a few hundred kilobytes was necessary to fit content onto a floppy disk or send files across a slow internet connection, but times have changed. Now, archiving is more useful for grouping items together than it is for compression, but you’ll still occasionally discover ZIP, RAR, or other files in the wild.
While macOS’s Archive Utility is great for opening some items, third-party apps can provide much more functionality when needed. In most cases, however, your Mac’s built-in tools will do the trick.
