Quick answer: To open a 7z file without 7-Zip, choose it here and press Extract files: LZMA and LZMA2 archives (the 7-Zip defaults) are unpacked in your browser, up to 1 GB, and you save the files one by one or as a ZIP. Password-protected and split (.7z.001) archives need a desktop app.
7-Zip squeezes files smaller than ZIP, but Macs and phones cannot open .7z files on their own. Open one here and save the files inside, without installing anything.
Extract 7z at a glance
| Price | Free, no sign-up, no watermark, no daily limit |
|---|---|
| Accepts | 7Z |
| Largest file | 1 GB per file |
| Where it runs | In your browser: files are never uploaded |
| Works on | Any modern browser on iPhone, Android, Windows, Mac and Linux |
| Send the result | Download it, or send it free with a link or by email (up to 20 GB) |
How to extract 7z
- Choose the .7z file.
- Check the list of files it contains.
- Press Extract files and wait: 7z archives are often “solid”, so they unpack in one go.
- Save the files you need, or all of them as a ZIP.
Why 7z archives take a moment
7-Zip usually builds solid archives: all files are compressed as one stream, which is why .7z files are so small. The catch is that the whole stream has to be unpacked to get at any file, so extracting takes a few seconds for big archives and needs enough memory for everything inside. On a phone, archives up to a few hundred MB work best.
Opening 7z on each device
- Windows: 7-Zip is free; Windows 11 (2023 and later) also opens .7z in File Explorer.
- Mac: Archive Utility cannot; The Unarchiver or Keka can, or use this page.
- iPhone and Android: the Files apps do not handle .7z; this page does, in Safari or Chrome.
Encrypted 7z archives (with a password) and split archives (.7z.001, .7z.002) need 7-Zip, Keka or The Unarchiver.
Pass it on as a ZIP
If the person you are sending to cannot open 7z either, save everything here as a ZIP, which opens on every device, or send the files with a download link, free up to 20 GB. RAR files? Use Extract RAR, the same tool.
How this compares
| This tool | Online converters (e.g. ezyZip or CloudConvert) | Desktop apps (e.g. 7-Zip or WinRAR) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your file is uploaded | No | Yes, to their servers | No |
| Install or account | None | Account for some features | Install needed |
| Watermark or daily limits | None | Common on free plans | Depends on the app |
Plans of other services change; check their sites. More file tools.
Frequently asked questions
How do I open a 7z file on a Mac?
Choose it on this page and press Extract files, or install The Unarchiver or Keka. macOS Archive Utility does not open 7z files.
Which 7z files work?
Standard 7-Zip archives compressed with LZMA, LZMA2, BZIP2 or Deflate, up to 1 GB. Encrypted and split archives do not.
Why is extraction slow for some 7z files?
Solid archives must be unpacked as a whole, even to get one file. Big solid archives are faster on a computer.
Is the archive uploaded?
No. It is extracted in your browser on your device.
Need to send a big file?
Send files up to 20 GB with a download link or by email. Free, no account needed, original quality.
Send large files free