ZIP is the most universal archive format. Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android, and ChromeOS all open ZIP files without installing anything. If you're having trouble, the solution depends on your platform.
On Windows 10/11, double-click the ZIP file to browse its contents in File Explorer. To extract everything, right-click and select "Extract All." Windows treats ZIP files like folders — you can open files directly from inside the ZIP, but extracting first is faster for working with multiple files.
On Mac, double-click the ZIP file. The Archive Utility extracts it automatically and creates a folder with the contents. If you get an error ("Unable to expand"), the ZIP may be corrupted or use features the built-in extractor doesn't support. Install The Unarchiver (free from the App Store) as a more capable alternative.
On iPhone/iPad, open the ZIP in the Files app and tap it to extract. On Android, the Files app handles ZIP extraction, or use a file manager like Solid Explorer.
For password-protected ZIP files, Windows and Mac will prompt you for the password. If you've forgotten it, there's no built-in recovery — the encryption is real. For ZIP files with special compression methods (LZMA, PPMd), you may need 7-Zip (Windows, free) or Keka (Mac, free) instead of the built-in tools.