How to open a ZIP, RAR or 7Z file on Windows 11

This step-by-step tutorial will show you how to natively open and extract a ZIP, RAR, or 7Z file on Windows 11 without installing third-party programs like WinRAR, WinZip, or 7-Zip.

ZIP, RAR, and 7Z are archive formats that combine multiple files and folders into a single compressed file. This makes files much easier to transfer and saves valuable storage space on your hard drive, USB flash drive, or cloud storage.

Step-by-step instructions

  1. Open File Explorer (click the folder icon on your taskbar or press the Windows + E keys on your keyboard).
  2. Go to the archive file you want to open.
  3. Right-click on the file.
  4. Click on Extract All.
    Extract an archive file in Windows 11
  5. In the next window, click on Extract in the bottom right corner of the window.
    Extract an archive file in Windows 11

Windows 11 will now unzip the ZIP, RAR, or 7Z file.

Related:

How to Zip, RAR, and password protect files in Windows 11

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