How to Unzip a Downloaded File on Mobile

Downloaded a ZIP file on your phone and not sure how to open it? ZIP files are compressed folders that can contain music, documents, images, videos, or several files bundled together. Before you can use the contents, you usually need to extract or unzip the file.

The process is simple on both Android and iPhone.

How to Unzip a File on Android

Most Android phones can extract ZIP files directly using the built-in file manager or Files by Google.

Step 1: Open Your Files App

Open Files, My Files, or Files by Google on your phone.

If you downloaded the ZIP file from a browser, it will usually be inside the Downloads folder.

Step 2: Locate the ZIP File

Go to:

Files → Downloads

Look for the file ending with:

.zip

For example:

BNXN-Still-In-Charge.zip

Step 3: Tap the ZIP File

Tap the ZIP file once.

If you are using Files by Google, you should see a window displaying the files contained inside the archive.

Step 4: Tap “Extract”

Tap the Extract button.

Files by Google will unpack the contents of the ZIP file. Google says extracted files are saved in the same location as the original ZIP archive. 

Step 5: Open the Extracted Folder

Once extraction is complete, tap Done.

You should now see the extracted files or a new folder containing them.

You can then open the songs, images, videos, documents, or other files normally.

How to Unzip a File on Samsung Phones

Samsung phones usually come with the My Files app.

Open:

My Files → Downloads

Find your ZIP file and tap it.

Depending on your Samsung version, you may see an option such as:

Extract

or

Extract to current folder

Tap it and wait for the extraction to finish.

A new folder containing the files should appear.

How to Unzip a File on iPhone

iPhones can also open ZIP files without installing another app.

Step 1: Open the Files App

Open the Files app on your iPhone.

Then go to:

Browse → Downloads

Your downloaded ZIP file should appear there.

Step 2: Find the ZIP File

Look for the file you downloaded.

For example:

Album-Download.zip

Step 3: Tap the ZIP File

Simply tap the ZIP archive.

According to Apple, the Files app automatically creates a folder containing the extracted contents. Apple Support

Step 4: Open the New Folder

You should now see a new folder with a similar name beside the ZIP file.

Tap the folder to access everything that was inside the archive.

You can also touch and hold a compressed file and choose Uncompress from the menu. Apple Support

What If the ZIP File Does Not Open?

If you tap the file and nothing happens, try checking the following.

Make sure the download completed successfully. An incomplete download may result in a corrupted ZIP file.

You should also check your phone's available storage. Extracting a ZIP file may require significantly more free storage than the ZIP itself because the compressed files become larger after extraction. Files by Google can show a storage-related error when there isn't enough space available. Google Help

Android Says “Cannot Open File”

Files by Google officially supports standard .zip files. Other archive formats may require a separate application. Google Help

For example, files ending in:

.rar
.7z
.tar

may not open using the standard ZIP extraction method.

You may need an archive-management app that supports those formats.

Where Do Extracted Files Go?

On Android using Files by Google, the extracted files are normally saved in the same folder where the original ZIP file is located.

So if your ZIP file is located here:

Downloads/BNXN-Album.zip

the extracted files should also appear inside or alongside the Downloads folder.

On iPhone, opening a ZIP archive creates a folder containing the extracted files beside the original ZIP archive. 

Can You Delete the ZIP File Afterwards?

Yes.

Once the files have been successfully extracted and you have confirmed that they work, you usually no longer need the original ZIP file.

On Files by Google, you may even see an option to Delete ZIP file after extraction.

Deleting it can help free up storage space.

Quick Summary

For Android:

Files → Downloads → Tap ZIP → Extract → Done

For iPhone:

Files → Downloads → Tap ZIP → Open extracted folder

That's all you need to do. Once the ZIP file has been extracted, you can access the downloaded music, videos, images, documents, or other files normally.