How to unzip ZIP file received on WhatsApp

LawyersTech.com — Sun, 19 Nov 2023 05:18:06 +0000

WhatsApp supports many file formats that can be sent and received. Image, video, audio, PDF and more can be opened directly inside it. However, if you have received a ZIP file via WhatsApp on your Android Phone or iPhone, then here are simple ways to unzip it and use the data that is inside it.

Before you read: Please understand that all Android phones are different. So the steps shown here may slightly vary on your phone. But don’t worry. Use your understanding.

How to unzip ZIP file received on WhatsApp on Android phone

Open WhatsApp and tap the tiny arrow button to download the ZIP file if it has not already been downloaded. If you don’t see this arrow, that means the file is already downloaded. Move to step 2.

After this, open the Google Files app that is pre-installed on most Android phones and make sure you’re in its Browse section.
You should see a WhatsApp Documents section at the top. Tap it, and you will see the ZIP file you just downloaded from WhatsApp chat in step 1. In case you don’t see “WhatsApp Documents,” tap the Documents & other option inside the Files app, and you will find the ZIP file there.

Tap the ZIP file and then tap Extract.

The Files app will extract all the contents of that ZIP file and save them as individual items. Tap Done.
Depending on what was inside that ZIP file, those items will be listed under appropriate sections of the Files app, like Documents & others, Images, Videos, Audio, etc.

Super useful tip: To see all the contents of the ZIP file in a folder, open the Files app and tap Internal storage > Android > media > com.whatsapp > WhatsApp > Media > WhatsApp Documents.

Here, you will see the original ZIP file and also a folder of the same name. Tap this folder, and you will find all the contents of this ZIP file inside it. They will not be scattered.

Important: The files in WhatsApp Documents folder are inside the WhatsApp system folder. So, touch and hold this folder, tap the three dots menu icon from the top right, and Copy or Move this folder to another location on your phone.

Use a third-party file manager app

Files app is by Google and is already installed on Pixel, Motorola, and many other Android phones. But if that is not available in your country, you can try this second app by Xiaomi.

Download the free MI File Manager app from the Google Play Store. This app works on all Android phones, even if they are not from MI or Xiaomi.
Open Mi File Manager and give it the necessary permissions it asks.
Now, open WhatsApp chat and tap the arrow button to download the ZIP file.
After it downloads, tap the ZIP file. Now tap File Manager Extract files to > Just once. Next, select a folder if you want, and tap Extract.

MI File Manager will extract all files of this ZIP and place them in a folder. Once the process is complete, open the Mi File Manager app and tap the folder icon from the top.
Here, you will find a folder that has the same name as the ZIP file. Go inside it to see all your files.

Remember: You will also see these files and folders inside any other file manager app you might have on your phone, as these files are on your local phone storage and not exclusively in the MI File Manager app.

This is how you can properly unzip files that you receive on WhatsApp. Now, if you have other ZIP files that you have in your SD card or phone storage, you can unzip them by opening File Manager and tapping on them.

Do you see a _MACOSX file?

After unzipping the ZIP file on Android phone or Windows PC, if you see a folder named _MACOSX, you can delete that. This is a system folder by Apple that has no use for you on Android and Windows. Secondly, if you see files whose name starts with a dot (.) like .DS, you may delete them too.