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How to unzip files on Android

Most Android phones can extract a .zip out of the box. The exact taps depend on which file manager you have — here are the three most common.

Using Files by Google

Files by Google is the default manager on Pixel and many other phones, and it's a free download on the rest.

Open Files by Google and go to Browse, then Downloads (or wherever the archive is saved).
Tap the .zip file. A preview panel shows what's inside.
Tap Extract, review the contents, then tap Done.
The extracted files appear in a new folder in the same location.

Using Samsung My Files

On Samsung Galaxy devices, the built-in app is My Files.

Open My Files and navigate to the .zip (often under Downloads).
Tap the archive; Samsung shows an extract dialog.
Choose Extract (you can pick the destination folder), and the files are unpacked.

Using your browser (works on any Android)

If your file manager can't extract archives, or you're not sure which app you have, the simplest universal option is to do it in Chrome. A browser tool runs the same on every phone, so there's nothing device-specific to figure out. You can unzip your file directly on Zip On Mars: open the page, tap Unzip an archive, choose your .zip, and download each extracted file. It's free, and your files are deleted automatically soon after.

How to zip files on Android

To go the other way in Files by Google or My Files: long-press to select the files you want, tap the ••• menu, and choose Compress or Zip. You'll get a single .zip you can share or upload.

Troubleshooting

No "Extract" option appears. Your file manager may not support archives — use the browser method above.
The archive is password-protected. Encrypted .zip files need the password and a tool that supports them; the built-in extractors and most simple tools don't.
The download looks corrupted. Re-download the archive; an interrupted transfer is the usual cause.

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Last updated: August 2026