2960 votes
ZIP File - What is a .zip file and how do I open it?
Learn about .ZIP files and view a list of programs that open them.
Sprachen
Überblick
What is a ZIP file? A ZIP file is an archive that contains one or more files compressed or "zipped" with Zip compression . It stores files separately from each other, allowing the files to be compressed using different methods and extracted without compressing or decompressing the entire archive.
More Information ZIP file open in Microsoft Windows 11 File Explorer The Zip format was created in 1989 by Phil Katz and was used in the PKZIP utility developed by PKWARE, Inc. The format grew in popularity and is now supported by most file compression/decompression programs. You may encounter ZIP files in various ways, such as receiving compressed files via email from a friend or co-worker, downloading files online, or exploring backup files that have been compressed with Zip compression. Both Windows and macOS come with programs that can compress and decompress ZIP files. How to create a ZIP file Windows users can create ZIP archives by right-clicking a file and selecting Send to → Compressed (zipped) folder . macOS users can create ZIP archives by right-clicking a file and selecting Compress "[filename]" .
Microsoft Windows 11 Icon
Brotkrümel
DeveloperThe MAME Team
Popularity3.4 | 274 Votes
Previous / Next
In-Depth
.ZIP File Extension
2 file types use the .zip file extension.
Zipped File
| Developer | Phil Katz |
| Popularity |
3.9 | 2960 Votes |
What is a ZIP file?
A ZIP file is an archive that contains one or more files compressed or "zipped" with Zip compression . It stores files separately from each other, allowing the files to be compressed using different methods and extracted without compressing or decompressing the entire archive.
More Information
ZIP file open in Microsoft Windows 11 File Explorer
The Zip format was created in 1989 by Phil Katz and was used in the PKZIP utility developed by PKWARE, Inc. The format grew in popularity and is now supported by most file compression/decompression programs.
You may encounter ZIP files in various ways, such as receiving compressed files via email from a friend or co-worker, downloading files online, or exploring backup files that have been compressed with Zip compression. Both Windows and macOS come with programs that can compress and decompress ZIP files.
How to create a ZIP file
Windows users can create ZIP archives by right-clicking a file and selecting Send to → Compressed (zipped) folder . macOS users can create ZIP archives by right-clicking a file and selecting Compress "[filename]" .
Common ZIP Filenames
New Compressed (zipped) Folder.zip - The name Microsoft Windows gives to new ZIP files created via the context menu (right-click and choose New → Compressed (zipped) Folder ).
How to open a ZIP file
In Windows, you can open a ZIP file with File Explorer, also known as "Windows Explorer," simply by double-clicking the file. You can then choose one, multiple, or all of the files to extract from the Zip archive. In macOS, you can open a ZIP file with Apple Archive Utility by double-clicking the file.
You can also open ZIP files with other compression utilities, such as Corel WinZip (Windows), Corel WinZip Mac (macOS), RARLAB WinRAR (Windows), and 7-Zip (Windows).
How to convert a ZIP file
Many compression utilities, such as ConeXware PowerArchiver , Corel WinZip, and 7-Zip, can convert ZIP files by extracting their contents and then compressing them in a different archive format.
For example, the Windows version of PowerArchiver can extract the contents of a ZIP file, then compress them as various archive types, including the following formats:
Open and view .ZIP files with File Viewer Plus . Free Download
Programs that open ZIP files
Sort
Pricing
Program Name
Platform
Reset
X
Windows
File Viewer Plus
—
Get it from Microsoft
Free +
Microsoft File Explorer
Included with OS
Corel WinZip
Free Trial
RARLAB WinRAR
Free Trial
PeaZip
Free
ConeXWare PowerArchiver
Free Trial
Smith Micro StuffIt Deluxe
—
Discontinued
Paid
7-Zip
Free
B1 Free Archiver
Free
Mac
Apple Archive Utility
Included with OS
Corel WinZip Mac
Free Trial
Smith Micro StuffIt Deluxe Mac 16
—
Discontinued
Paid
Incredible Bee Archiver
Paid
The Unarchiver
Free
B1 Free Archiver
Free
Keka
Free
Linux
funzip
Free
p7zip
Free
B1 Free Archiver
Free
File Roller
Free
PeaZip
Free
Web
123apps Archive Extractor
Free
iOS
Apple Files
Included with OS
Corel WinZip for iOS
Free +
Pengui Zhao Zip & RAR File Extractor
Free +
ComcSoft Corporation iZip
Free +
Android
File Viewer for Android
Free +
Corel WinZip for Android
Free +
RARLAB RAR
Free +
ZDevs ZArchiver
Free
Chrome OS
Chrome OS
Included with OS
Category: Compressed Files
Updated: December 12, 2022
MAME Game ROM
| Developer | The MAME Team |
| Popularity |
3.4 | 274 Votes |
A ZIP file may also be a ROM used by MAME and other arcade video game emulators . It may contain the entire contents of an arcade game, or it may be supplemented by a .CHD (Compressed Hunks of Data) file. ZIP files are compressed using Zip compression.
More Information
Video game system emulators like MAME (short for Multiple Arcade Machine Emulator) allow gamers to play classic video games on their PCs and mobile devices. MAME specializes in emulating arcade games, originally played in arcade cabinets.
Players distribute MAME ROMs, which contain the contents of an arcade game, as ZIP files. If the ROM was created from an arcade game stored on a chip , its entire contents may be stored in a ZIP file. If the ROM was created from an arcade game stored on a hard drive, it is likely split into a ZIP and CHD file. If the ROM is split into two files, you need both to open it in MAME.
How to open a ZIP file
You can open a ZIP file in MAME (multiplatform) and related emulators. To open a ZIP file in MAME, place the file in MAME's Roms directory. If your ZIP file is paired with a CHD file, place the CHD file in a subdirectory named for your ZIP file (e.g. for a ZIP file named MyGame.zip , place your CHD file in Roms/MyGame/ ).
Programs that open ZIP files
Sort
Pricing
Program Name
Platform
Reset
X
Windows
MAME
Free
ExtraMAME
Free Trial
RetroArch
Free
Mac
MAME
Free
MAME OS X
Free
OpenEmu
Free
RetroArch
Free
Linux
MAME
Free
RetroArch
Free
iOS
RetroArch
Free
Android
RetroArch
Free
Category: Game Files
Updated: May 26, 2022