Compressed files (archives) save space on the device and speed up data transfer, but not all users Android know how to open them correctly. If you downloaded a document in ZIPformat, photos in RAR or a app in 7Z, but your smartphone does not recognize the file, this article will help you figure it out. We will look at all current methods: from built-in tools to specialized applications, and also explain why some archives may not open and how to fix it.

The problem is complicated by the fact that Android does not have a universal standard for working with archives: manufacturers (for example, Samsung, Xiaomi or Google Pixel) are implementing different solutions. In addition, formats like RAR5 or TAR.GZ require additional software. But don’t worry: even if you are a beginner, after reading these instructions you will be able to extract files from any archive in a couple of clicks.

It is important to consider and security: archives from untrusted sources may contain malware. We'll tell you how to check a file before opening and avoid risks. And if you often work with large archives (for example, backups or media libraries), then you will find here the optimal solutions for your case.

1. Standard Android tools: what your smartphone can do

Many modern devices on Android 10 and newer have built-in support for basic archives. It's easy to check:

  1. Open Files (standard application Google or a proprietary file manager from the manufacturer, for example, Mi File Manager on Xiaomi).
  2. Find the archive in the device memory or on the card SD.
  3. Tap the file - if the option Extract or Unpackappears, then your system supports this format.

These are the usual formats open without additional applications:

  • 📂 ZIP —the most common format, supported by all versions Android starting with 4.0 KitKat.
  • 📄 TAR and GZ —often used for backups, but not all file managers can unpack them out of the box.
  • ❌ RAR, 7Z, ISO —almost never open using standard means.

If your archive has the extension .rar or .7z, and when clicked, a message appears The file could not be opened —do not worry: Android does not include licensed codecs for. these formats due to policy Google. The solution is to install a third-party application (more on this in the next section).

⚠️ Attention: On some devices (for example, Huawei or Honor) the built-in archiver may be unstable with Cyrillic file names inside ZIP. If after unpacking you see ?????.jpginstead of normal names, try renaming the archive to Latin before extracting.
📊 What archive format do you most often see?
ZIP
RAR
7Z
TAR/GZ
Other

2. Top 5 applications for opening archives on Android

If standard tools fail, it’s time to install specialized software. We tested dozens of applications and selected the best in terms of functionality, security and convenience. All of them are free (with an optional paid version) and do not contain hidden advertising.

Application Supported formats Features Rating on Google Play
RAR (from RARLAB) RAR, ZIP, 7Z, TAR, GZ, XZ, ISO, ARJ Official application from the creators of the RAR formats. Can create multi-volume archives and encrypt files. 4.7 ⭐
ZArchiver 7Z, ZIP, RAR, TAR, GZ, BZIP2, XZ, LZMA Support for cloud storage (Google Drive, Dropbox) Can unpack the archive directly to the cloud. 4.6 ⭐
7Z (from AndroZip) 7Z, ZIP, RAR, TAR, GZ, CAB Minimalistic interface, low power consumption. Ideal for weak devices. 4.5 ⭐
WinZip ZIP, ZIPX, RAR, 7Z, TAR, GZ Integration with Google Photos i GmailThere is a function for compressing photos without losing quality. 4.4 ⭐
B1 Archiver B1, ZIP, RAR, 7Z, TAR, GZ Own format B1 with a high compression ratio. Suitable for backups. 4.3 ⭐

How to choose? If you need maximum compression - take 7Z or B1 Archiver. data-i="101">better official application RAR better official app RARIf integration with clouds is important - ZArchiver or WinZip.

Simple installation:

  1. Open Google Play Market.
  2. Enter the name of the application in the search (for example, ZArchiver).
  3. Click Install and wait until the download completes.
  4. Launch the application and provide access to the files (required!).
⚠️ Attention: When launched for the first time, some archivers (for example, RAR) ask for permission to access all files. This is necessary for operation, but if you are concerned about privacy, use applications with selective access (for example, ZArchiver allows you to select specific folders).

Make sure that the application is from the official developer (check your account name in the Play Market)

Read reviews about the latest updates (sometimes new versions contain bugs)

View the permissions that the application requests (there should be no access to SMS or calls)

Download only from Google Play (not from third-party sources!)

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3. How to open the archive through cloud services (without installing apps)

If you do not want to install additional applications or are working on someone else's. device, you can unpack the archive directly to cloud storage. This method is suitable for files up to 500 MB (limitation of most free services). Let's look at the process using an example Google Drive:

  1. Download the archive to Google Drive (via browser or application).
  2. Find the file in the list and tap it.
  3. In the top menu, click Open with → Google Disk.
  4. The system will automatically unpack the archive and display the contents in a new folder.

Alternative services:

  • 🌥️ Dropbox —supports ZIP and RAR, but large files require a paid subscription.
  • ☁️ Yandex Disk — unpacks ZIP and RAR, there is a document preview function.
  • 📦 Mail.ru Cloud —works with ZIP, but the interface is less convenient for mobile devices.

Advantages of the cloud method:

  • ✅ No need to install apps.
  • ✅ You can open the archive on any device (even iOS or PC).
  • ✅ Automatic backup files.

Disadvantages:

  • ❌ File size limitation (usually up to 500 MB).
  • ❌ Requires a stable Internet connection.
  • ❌ Some formats (for example, 7Z or TAR.GZ) may not be supported.
💡

If the archive is large (more than 1 GB), but you only need one file from it, use the "View Content" function in Google Drive. Click on the archive → "View files" → select the one you want and download it separately.

4. Unpacking archives with a password or damaged files

Sometimes archives are password protected or damaged when downloaded. In such cases, standard methods do not work, but there are workarounds.

🔐 Archives with password

If, when you try to open a file, you see a password request:

  1. Make sure that you enter the password in the correct layout (English letters!).
  2. Try using applications RAR or ZArchiver —they support encryption AES-256.
  3. If the password is lost, it is almost impossible to recover it (searching it can take years). In this case, request the archive again from the sender.

🚨 Damaged archives

Signs of damage:

  • Message CRC failed or Unexpected end of archive.
  • The archive opens, but some files missing.
  • The application freezes when unpacking.

What to do:

  1. Try to download the archive again - it may be damaged during transfer.
  2. Use the function Recover in WinRAR (on PC) or RAR for Android.
  3. If the archive is multi-volume (for example, part1.rar, part2.rar), make sure that all parts are downloaded and are in the same folder.
⚠️ Attention: Some archives may be specifically damaged to protect against unauthorized access. If you downloaded a file from a torrent tracker or a dubious site, but it does not open, this could be a trap. Check the source and scan the file with an antivirus (for example, Malwarebytes).
How to check an archive for viruses without unpacking?

Many antiviruses (for example, Dr.Web or Kaspersky) can scan archives "on the fly". Upload the file to the anti-virus application and select the "Check archives" option. If a virus is found, the app will show its type and location inside the ZIP/RAR.

5. Automatic unpacking: default setting

If you often work with archives, you can configure the system so that they open in one click. this:

  1. Install the selected archiver (for example, ZArchiver).
  2. Find any archive in the file manager and long press on it.
  3. Select Open with → find your archiver in the list.
  4. Tick the box Always or Use as default.

Now all archives will open in the selected application To return the standard one. behavior:

  1. Go to Settings → Applications.
  2. Find your archiver in the list and select Open by default.
  3. Click Clear default settings.

On some firmware (for example, MIUI on Xiaomi) this path may differ:

Settings → Applications → Manage applications → [select archiver] → Open by default → Reset

If you use Samsungthe built-in file manager My Files may block the change associations. In this case:

  • Open My Files.
  • Go to ⋮ (Menu) → Settings → Open files by default.
  • Select Archives and assign the desired application.
💡

Setting the default opening saves time, but be careful: if you choose an unstable application, all archives will open with errors. Test the archiver before assigning it as the main one.

6. Working with non-standard formats: TAR.GZ, ISO, DMG

In addition to the popular ZIP and RAR, there are specialized formats that require a special approach:

  • 📀 ISO - disk image. To mount on Android you need Daemon Tools or ISO Mount (rights are required root on some devices).
  • 🗄️ TAR.GZ or TGZ —often used in Linux. It is unpacked in two stages: first GZ, then TAR. Supported in ZArchiver.
  • 💾 DMG - format macOS. On Android opens through DMG Extractor, but without guarantee of data integrity.
  • 📦 APKM or XAPK - archives with Androidapplications. Needed for installation SAI (Split APK Installer).

Example of unpacking TAR.GZ:

  1. Rename the file to .tar.gz (if the extension is displayed as .tgz).
  2. Open in ZArchiver.
  3. Select Extract —the application will automatically unpack first GZ, then TAR.

For ISO and DMG it is better to use PCsince on Android there is no full support for these formats. If this is not possible, try cloud services like Archive Extractor (works through a browser).

⚠️ Attention: Formats DMG and ISO may contain boot sectors that Android interprets as damaged data. Do not try to mount such files without checking - this may lead to a file system failure.

7. Errors when opening archives and their solutions.

Even with the right software, archives may not open. Let's look at typical errors and how to fix them:

Error Cause Solution
Failed to open the file as an archive The file is damaged or is not an archive (possibly renamed). Check the extension (should be .zip, .rar etc.) Try opening it on your PC.
CRC failed Data corruption when downloading or copying. Download the archive again. If the error persists, request the file again from the sender.
Insufficient memory The archive is too large for internal storage. Unzip to a card SD or to the cloud Free up space on your computer. device.
Unknown format The application does not support this archive type. Install a universal archiver (for example, ZArchiver) or convert the archive to ZIP on a PC.
The file is password protected The archive is encrypted, but the password is incorrect or missing. Check the password from the sender. If the password is lost, it is impossible to recover the data.

If none of the methods help, try the following:

  • 🔄 Reboot the device - sometimes errors occur due to cache overflow.
  • 📲 Update the archiver to the latest version (older versions may not have the codec for new ones formats).
  • 🖥️ Try opening the archive on another device (PC, another smartphone) - this will help determine whether the problem is in the file or in your phone.

If the archive was downloaded via Telegram or other messengers, it could be automatically recompressed. In this case, the original data is lost and it is impossible to restore it - request the file again without compression.

FAQ: Frequently asked questions about archives on Android

🔹 Is it possible to open an archive without installing applications?

Yes, but only formats ZIP i sometimes TAR. For RAR, 7Z and others, specialized apps are needed. Also, standard tools may not cope with archives larger than 2 GB or with Cyrillic file names.

🔹 Why do question marks appear after unpacking instead of Russian letters?

This is an encoding problem. Solutions:

  1. Rename the archive to Latin before unpacking.
  2. Use ZArchiver —it works better with Cyrillic.
  3. Unpack the archive on your PC, then transfer the files to your phone.
🔹 How to open an archive divided into parts (part1.rar, part2.rar)?

All parts must be in the same folder. Open the first part (part1.rar) in the archiver - the app will automatically merge the files. If the parts are not completely downloaded, unpacking will fail.

🔹 Is it possible to create an archive on Android?

Yes, most archivers (for example, RAR or ZArchiver) can not only unpack, but also create archives. To do this:

  1. Select files in the manager.
  2. Select the option Compress or Add to archive.
  3. Specify the format (ZIP or RAR) and compression level.

Limitation: on Android you cannot create an archive larger than 4 GB due to file system limitations FAT32 (relevant for cards SD).

🔹 Is it safe to open archives from the Internet?

No, if the source is unreliable. Archives may contain:

  • Viruses (especially inside .exe ZIP).
  • Fake files (for example, photo.jpg.exe).
  • Scripts for data theft.

Always scan the archives with an antivirus (Dr.Web, Kaspersky) and not open files with extensions .exe, .bat, .js on Android.