How to Extract Files from a ZIP Archive on macOS
ZIP is by far the most common archive format you'll encounter on macOS. Whether you downloaded a file from the web, received an email attachment, or exported a project, there's a good chance it arrived as a .zip file. macOS can open ZIP files natively — but extracting specific files from a large ZIP archive requires a more capable tool.
The default way to open ZIP files on macOS
Tool: Archive Utility (built-in)
Steps
- Double-click the .zip file in Finder.
- Archive Utility extracts all contents into a folder next to the original file.
- Alternatively, right-click the file and choose "Open With > Archive Utility".
Extract individual files from a ZIP archive
The default macOS tools extract everything — there's no way to pick individual files. MacPacker lets you browse ZIP archive contents, preview files, and extract only what you need — without unpacking the entire archive.
A better way: open ZIP files with MacPacker
MacPacker is a free, open-source macOS archive manager that supports ZIP and 30+ other formats. Unlike the default tools, MacPacker lets you:
- Browse archive contents like a folder
- Preview files with Quick Look without extracting
- Extract individual files via drag and drop
- Navigate nested archives (archives within archives)
- Enjoy a native SwiftUI interface that feels right at home on macOS
Get MacPacker
v0.15.1 · macOS 14+$ brew install --cask macpackerApp Store updates may lag a few days behind direct downloads due to Apple review.
Frequently asked questions
How do I open a ZIP file on Mac?
Double-click the .zip file in Finder. macOS will automatically extract all contents using Archive Utility. For selective extraction, use MacPacker to browse the archive and drag out only the files you need.
Can I extract a single file from a ZIP archive on Mac?
The built-in Archive Utility extracts everything at once. To extract individual files, use MacPacker — it lets you browse the archive contents and extract specific files by dragging them out.
How do I unzip a file using Terminal on Mac?
Open Terminal and run: unzip archive.zip — this extracts all files. To extract a specific file, run: unzip archive.zip path/to/file.txt
Related formats
7z is an open-source archive format with excellent compression. macOS has no built-in 7z support.
RAR is a proprietary archive format known for high compression ratios and multi-part archives. macOS has no built-in RAR support.
TAR (tape archive) bundles files without compression. Often combined with GZ, BZ2, or XZ for compressed archives. Natively supported via Terminal on macOS.