When unzipping basic archive formats, your computer or mobile device will probably have a utility that can take care of it. On the other hand, some formats, such as RAR or ISO, may require you to use specific tools. There’s no need to install a dedicated unzip utility, though. This list shows you several tools to unzip files online. They work on any device where you can open a browser.
Good to know: learn how to instantly delete large files and folders on Windows.
1. Unzip Online
With Unzip Online, you can easily uncompress ZIP, RAR, 7z, and TAR files of up to 200MB. You don’t need to install any third-party application, like WinRAR or WinZip, on your computer, even though they are some of the best free software for the job. Just select the ZIP file you want to unarchive, and press the Uncompress files button to start the process.
The contents of the archive will be displayed immediately. Do note that the amount of time it takes to decompress the files depends on the file size. If you upload a large file, unarchiving it won’t be instant.
Click on the desired files to download them. If you’re worried about the privacy of your files, Unzip Online notes that it automatically deletes them after 24 hours.
2. B1 Online Archiver
B1 Online Archiver is another free archiver that can help you decompress a wide variety of file formats, including ZIP, RAR, 7z, CAB, TAR, DMG, ISO, and B1. It doesn’t have a 200MB limit, so you can uncompress larger files. However, you may run into a problem if you want to uncompress super-large files.
You only need to upload the file you want to extract, and it will automatically decompress it. After extracting the contents, it will show you the files, which you can download with a single click.
Those wondering about privacy should know that the tool automatically deletes any extracted files a few minutes after closing the page. It even provides users with a link to delete the files after downloading.
FYI: did you know that you can hide a ZIP archive in an image file on Mac? Read on to learn how.
3. ExtendsClass Unzip Online
If you truly want to unzip files without any limits, ExtendsClass Unzip Online is a great option. The tool lets you manually select the file you want to unzip. Alternatively, just drag and drop it to the site. However, the tool only supports ZIP, RAR, and TAR files.
The tool is fast, too, as it runs from your browser without files being uploaded to a server before it can uncompress them. Your browser is what determines the file sizes you can upload instead of a server, and different browsers will support different sizes.
If your browser can handle it, you can, for instance, use it to unzip large audio files you compressed on Android. However, some browsers may crash when you try to upload very large files.
4. ezyZip
It can be hard to detect just what is in the file you’re trying to unzip. Not every tool allows you to preview the zip file’s contents before you download it. Fortunately, ezyZip offers this option.
Once you preview the archive and confirm it’s what you want, save the files to your computer. Of course, you won’t be able to preview every file, but text and image files will work.
Perhaps what’s interesting about this unzipping tool is the ability to uncompress files directly from Dropbox. You don’t need the files to be on the device. You can even save the unzipped and decompressed files back to Dropbox. ezyZip can uncompress a variety of files, including ZIP, RAR, TAR, TAR.GZ, JAR, IPSW, CBR, JAR, and ISO. It also has a file converter that can, for example, convert RAR to ZIP or TAR to ZIP.
Tip: files or folders on your PC can be hidden from view. Learn how to make them visible.
5. 123Apps Archive Extractor
If you want to have more options when it comes to uploading archives for decompression, try 123Apps Archive Extractor. The tool allows you to extract compressed formats from Google Drive, Dropbox or a URL.
You won’t be able to preview before unarchiving with this tool. To compensate, Archive Extractor allows you to decompress password-protected archives.
The tool supports over 70 compressed file types, so you can rest assured it can unpack major file formats. It can also extract multipart archives. If the compressed archive is broken into several parts, you can select them all and extract them in one go.
Tip: if you’re having trouble deleting a file on your Windows PC, learn how to force-delete undeletable files.
Making File Compression Easy
Compressed archives are a great way to save storage space without deleting anything. But what if you start seeing the “Compressed (Zipped) folder is invalid” error on your Windows PC? Read on to learn how to resolve this issue.
Image credit: Pexels. All screenshots by Chifundo Kasiya.
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