Apr 05, 2019 Unzip files and folders on Mac. There’s nothing to do when you need to unzip a zipped file except double-click on it. The Archive Utility that you use to zip files unzips them for you as well. So, you don’t need a third-party app and you don’t need to open the Archive Utility because it handles those compressed files for you automatically. Aug 23, 2018 The app will take over and show you a list of the files in the archive, with details of their names, types, and sizes. If you want to see more, choose Open with BetterZip. The archive will then open and you can preview the contents of each file, all without extracting it.
Files you download from the Internet are often compressed or zipped so that they take up less space and arrive much faster than files that haven’t been compressed. You can easily identify compressed files by their extensions, such as .zip (a common standard used in OS X and Windows) and .sit. Before you can use these files, you must learn how to unzip files on mac computers for proper access – luckily the process isn’t that complicated!
How to unzip files on mac computers
Unzipping a file on a mac computer is user-friendly and intuitive. To unzip files on a mac, simply follow the steps below:
- Double click the zipped file.
- The file will automatically be decompressed by Archive Utility into the same folder the compressed file is in.
- Access the extracted files by clicking the appropriate icons.
Alternatively, if the method above does not work, you can right-click on the .zip package, and select Open With > Archive Utility (default).
Apple and third party software
Apple used to include a program called StuffIt Expander to decompress zipped files, but doesn’t now that OS X lets you unzip files (but not .sit files). However, StuffIt from SmithMicro Software still comes in handy for opening other types of compressed files, notably the .sit or .sitx compressed types. Go to www.stuffit-expander.com or www.stuffit.com/mac/index.html to download a free version of the software or to splurge for the Deluxe version. In addition to compressing files, StuffIt Deluxe lets you encrypt and back up files.
Meanwhile, you can archive or create your own .zip files through OS X, which is useful if you’re e-mailing a number of meaty files to a friend. Right-click (or Ctrl-click) files you want to compress inside Finder and choose Compress Filename. The newly compressed files carry the .zip extension. The archive is created in the same location as the original file and is named originalfilename.zip. You can also choose File→Compress. If you compress a lot of files at once, the archive takes the name Archive.zip.
By default, compressed files are opened with the Archive Utility. It appears in the Dock (in Leopard) while the files are being unsqueezed, unless you choose to open them with Stuffit Expander or some other program.
How to zip files on a mac
On the flip side, you can also archive or create your own .zip files through OS X, which is useful if you’re e-mailing a number of meaty files to a client or friend. Follow the step-by-step instructions below to easily zip files on a mac:
- Right-click or Ctrl-click the multiple files you want to compress (whether on the desktop or inside the Finder).
- Select Compress Filename from the pop-up menu.
- The files are now compressed in a .zip extension and the archive is created in the same location as the original file name, except with the .zip appended to its name.
On some Apple computers, you can also compress a file by simply choosing File→Compress. If you compress a lot of files at once, the archive takes the name Archive.zip.
Get a secure archiver app
All of us from time to time receive digital archive packages, whether they are downloaded online or get sent over by our friends. Occasionally, we might be even packaging and distributing archives ourselves. But few of us stop and think why exactly do we do this.
In general, archives help us achieve two essential goals: decrease file size and unite a group of files into a single package. The first goal relies heavily on a compression algorithm and thus differs from format to format, whereas the second goal is equally achievable by all popular archivers on the market.
There are literally dozens of archiving formats in existence, but it’s likely that you’ll only ever meet two: ZIP and RAR. ZIP has been around for more than 30 years and is easily readable by your Mac’s default archiving utility. RAR, on the other hand, is a proprietary archiving format that requires a RAR opener for Mac to operate. So how do you open .rar on Mac?
Quickly Open RAR Files On Mac
Unfortunately, you can’t open a RAR archive with Mac’s default tools due to the format’s closed proprietary nature. RAR itself is an acronym for Roshal Archive, as it was developed by a Russian software engineer Eugene Roshal.
In terms of usability, RAR is not as popular as ZIP, but offers a better compression algorithm and, most importantly, works with large files. While ZIP taps out at around 2 GB, RAR can take up to 8 EiB (the number so large it’s practically infinite). The price you pay is having to find and download a sort of WinRAR for Mac utility.
Open any file on Mac
New to Mac? Download Setapp, an advanced Mac app toolkit that has file openers fitting your needs.
Start with a well-known RAR extractor for Mac
While the actual WinRAR for Mac doesn’t exist, as it only works on Windows, there is no shortage of archivers that support RAR files.
An example that comes to mind immediately when someone thinks of how to zip a file on Mac is Unarchiver.
Unarchiver is a free simple tool that lets you, well, unarchive hundreds of file formats, including RAR. Originally developed by Dag Agren over 10 years ago, it quickly gained millions of users due to its unobtrusive interface and fast performance. To open .rar on Mac with Unarchiver:
- Download the app and place it in the Applications folder
- Right-click on the archive you need to unpack and choose Open With > The Unarchiver
- The files will unpack in the same folder
Due to its simplicity, however, Unarchiver omits a lot of features. For instance, it doesn’t itself compress files and doesn’t allow to set passwords or peek inside the zipped folder. So if you’re working with archives on a regular basis, it’s much better to use an actual full-featured unarchiver for Mac.
Select 'ID Photo Maker' and right click, then select Uninstall/Change. Click 'Yes' to confirm the uninstallation. Double-click the 'Add/Remove Programs' icon. Frequently Asked Questions. Id photo software mac free.
Use a pro-level Mac unarchiver
When you need to do more than simply find out how to unzip files on Mac, you need to use apps that were designed with all the extra functionality in mind. One of those apps is Archiver.
Archiver can easily open RAR files on Mac, but also create new archives, compress them, encrypt them, and split them into multiple volumes.
Best unarchiver for Mac
Grab Archiver—free to try with Setapp. Simplicity and unrivaled file opening power in a single app for Mac.
Starting with Archiver is a no-brainer due to its intuitive drag-and-drop interface:
- Launch Archiver from Applications
- Drop your RAR archive right onto the app’s window
- You’ll see all the files in the archive. Optionally, you can just drag some of the files onto your Desktop even without unarchiving.
- To open .rar on Mac, simply choose Extract, select the destination, and then click Done
Alternatively, if you want to create a RAR archive:
- Drop files onto the Archiver window and click Archive
- Choose RAR out of the formats offered. Select the name and compression level.
- Optionally check the Encrypt box and set a password for your archive
- Click Archive
Another neat Archiver feature is the ability to split your archives into multiple volumes. This is handy when you need to send a large file, like a movie, over email. To do that, simply choose Split when adding your archive to the app and select the appropriate size for each resulting archive.
Easy home design software to plan a new house or remodeling project. 2D/3D interior, exterior, garden and landscape design for your home! Free download. Trace your floor plans, furnish and decorate your home, design your backyard pool and deck. Affordable Mac Floor Plan Software. 1 single floor plan program integrates various solutions for interior design, home, garden and landscape design. It is quite easy to use with drag-n-drop simplicity. With it, you can design your sweet home very, very fast. Free floor plan software, free download - Hot Plan, Hyper Plan, Perfect Table Plan, and many more programs. DreamPlan Free Home Design and Landscaping for Mac. Plan design software for mac.
Build your unarchiving workflow
Free App To Unzip Files On Mac
Without a doubt, Archiver significantly expands on the functionality of the Unarchiver. But it’s still mostly suited for one-off files and archives. If your line of work requires you to use archives on a daily basis, you need a RAR opener for Mac that supports presets, such as BetterZip.
BetterZip is a robust Mac unarchiver that supports all the same functionality when compared to Archive, with one significant distinction — preset workflows.
With BetterZip, it’s easy to create complex action sequences for all kinds of archives and process dozens of them in seconds. To create your own preset with BetterZip:
- Go Preferences > Presets
- Explore the saved presets in Extract and Saved
- Add new ones by clicking the plus sign
Best App To Unzip Files On Mac
To use a preset, simply drop the files onto BetterZip and then click and hold either Save or Extract button in the top menu to select one of the available options.
Zip and unzip files with ease
Now you that know how to unzip a file on Mac and even create your own archiving presets, you can enjoy the benefits of archiving files more often. It’s generally a good idea to archive files whenever you send them, sort of like putting your parcel in a safe package before going to the post office in real life.
Archived files are less susceptible to errors and damage, and more likely to arrive to your recipient in mind condition: especially when it concerns folders with multiple files and media, such as movies and music.
Unzip Mac Files On Windows
Use a full-featured RAR extractor for Mac that executes the archiving tasks quickly and gives you many more archiving options overall. Whether you choose Archiver or BetterZip, how to open RAR files on Mac, or in fact any files, won’t be a problem anymore.
Best of all, both Archiver and BetterZip are available for you to try free on Setapp, a platform of more than 150 top Mac apps that solve any problem you happen to come across. Pack your files and send them away!