How to Extract ZIP Files in Chromebook

Google’s Chrome OS works great as a lightweight operating system and it’s designed for general consumers who want things to just work without fiddling with anything. And I must say, in this regard, Chrome OS has done a pretty good job. It offers a healthy selection of apps, and comes with a good feature-set. For example, you can extract ZIP files in a Chromebook without needing a third-party app. However, not many know how exactly you can do that or how to access other compressed file formats. So in this article, we bring you both native and third-party ways to extract ZIP files in Chromebook in five simple steps. On that note, let’s go through the guide.

Note: Interested in playing cool games like Among Us on Chromebook? Follow our linked guide to find out how.

Extract ZIP Files in Chromebook (2021)

Here, we have mentioned steps for both extracting and creating ZIP files in Chromebook. Besides that, if you want to extract other compressed formats such as 7ZIP, TAR, etc. then you can do that as well.

Extract ZIP Files in Chromebook Using the Files App

1. To extract ZIP files in Chromebook, just right-click on the ZIP file and click on “Open”. You can also press “Enter” on the keyboard to open the ZIP file.

Extract ZIP Files in Chromebook (January 2021)

2. Now, select all the content and copy the files.

Extract ZIP Files in Chromebook (January 2021)

3. Next, go back to “Downloads” and create a new folder by pressing Ctrl + E. You can also right-click and create a new folder.

Extract ZIP Files in Chromebook (January 2021)

4. Finally, open the New Folder and paste the content. That’s it. And this is how you can extract ZIP files in Chromebook. Yes, it’s a manual process of copying and pasting the content, but you don’t need a third-party app to open ZIP files. Keep in mind, this process will only work on ZIP and RAR files.

paste the content

5. If you want to extract files from other compressed formats like 7Z, TAR, RPM, ISO, PAX, CPIO, CAB, AR, DEB, etc., then you should install Wicked Good Unarchiver (Free) on your Chromebook. It integrates with the native Files app. After the installation, open any other compressed file similar to step #1 and copy and paste the content to a new folder. That’s it.

wicked good unarchiver

How to Create ZIP Files in Chrome OS

1. If you want to compress files in Chrome OS, you can just right-click on a file or folder and hit the “Zip Selection” option.

How to Create ZIP Files in Chrome OS

2. Instantly, the file or folder will be compressed and a ZIP file will be created in the same folder. Pretty easy, right?

How to Create ZIP Files in Chrome OS

List of Popular Chromebooks

Our tutorial will work with all of the following Chromebooks. It is not an exhaustive list and is only here to serve as an example.

Brand NameModel Name
AcerAcer Chromebook 315
Acer Chromebook CB315-3H-C2C3
Acer Chromebook CB315-3HT-C296
Acer Chromebook CB315-3H-C4QE
Acer Chromebook CB315-2HT-44MJ
Acer Chromebook CB315-3HT-C3J0
Acer Chromebook CB315-3H-C5JS
Acer Chromebook CB315-3HT-C6XF
Acer Chromebook CB315-3H-C36A
Acer Chromebook CB315-3HT-C16B
Acer Chromebook 314
Acer Chromebook CB314-1H-C34N
Acer Chromebook CB314-1H-C66Z
Acer Chromebook CB314-1H-C02A
Acer Chromebook 311
Acer Chromebook CB311-9HT-C4UM
Acer Chromebook CB311-9H-C12A
Acer Chromebook 311 - CP311-3H-K5GD
Acer Chromebook CB311-9H-C7C8
Acer Chromebook Spin 713 - CP713-2W-79H3
Acer Chromebook 512 - C851-C1J7
Acer Chromebook 311 Touch - CB311-9HT-C4UM
Acer Chromebook Spin 311 - CP311-3H-K5GD
Acer Chromebox CXI3 - CXI3-I7V16GNKM4
Acer Chromebox CXI3 - CXI3-4GKM4
Acer Chromebox CXI3 - CXI3-4GNKM4
Acer Chromebook Spin 13 - CP713-1WN-51EA
Acer Chromebook Spin 713 - CP713-2W-79H3
Acer Chromebook Enterprise Spin 13 - CP713-1WN-76M7
Chromebook Spin 13 - CP713-1WN-813G
CB714-1W-32D4
CB714-1W-525Q
Acer Chromebook Spin 514
Acer Chromebook 311 C733-C0FK
Acer Chromebook CB314-1H-P7ZZ
ASUSASUS Chromebook C204EE
ASUS Chromebook C403NA
ASUS Chromebook Flip C214MA
ASUS Chromebook C203XA
ASUS Chromebook C202XA
ASUS Chromebook 14 C425TA
ASUS Chromebook Flip C434TA
ASUS Chromebook Flip C433TA
ASUS Chromebook Flip C302CA
ASUS Chromebook Flip C436FA
ASUS Chromebook C202SA
ASUS Chromebook C423NA
ASUS Chromebook C523NA
ASUS Chromebook C223NA
ASUS Chromebook Flip C101PA
GoogleGoogle Pixelbook Go GA00521-US
Google Pixelbook Go GA00519-US
Google Pixelbook Go GA00526-US
Google Pixelbook Go GA00124-US
Google Pixelbook Go GA00519-UK
Google Pixelbook Go GA00523-US
Google Pixel Slate C1A
HPHP Chromebook - 14a-na0003tu
HP Chromebook 11A G6 EE
HP Chromebook x360 12b-ca0010TU
HP Chromebook - 14a-na0002tu
HP Chromebook - 11-v010nr
HP Chromebook - 15-de0010nr
HP Chromebook - 14-db0030nr
HP Chromebook - 14-db0020nr
HP Chromebook - 15-de0015nr
HP Chromebook - 14a-na0097nr
HP Chromebook - 14a touch optional
HP Chromebook - 14-db0098nr
HP Chromebook 11a-nb0047nr
HP Chromebook 11a 11a-na0010nr
HP Chromebook 11a 11a-na0060nr
HP Chromebook 14A G5
HP Chromebook Enterprise 14A G5
HP Chromebook 11A G6 Education Edition PC
HP Chromebook 14A G5
HP Chromebook 11A G8 Education Edition
HP Chromebook x360 11 G3 EE
HP Pro c640 Chromebook
HP Chromebook 11A G8 Education Edition
HP Chromebook 14A G5 Notebook PC
HP Pro c640 Chromebook
HP Elite c1030 Chromebook
HP Pro c640 Chromebook Enterprise
HP Elite c1030 Chromebook Notebook PC
HP Pro c645 Chromebook
HP Chromebook x360 12b-ca0010nr
HP Chromebook x360 - 14c-ca0065nr
HP Chromebook x360 - 14b-ca0010nr
HP Chromebook x360 14a-ca0097nr
HP Chromebook x360 14c-ca0085nr
HP Chromebook x360 - 14ct-ca000
HP Chromebook 11 G1 Notebook PC 1NW60UT
HP Chromebook - 14-ca020nr
HP Chromebook 11 G6 Education Edition 3PD94UT
HP Chromebook x360 11 G1 EE - Customizable
LenovoChromebook Duet (10.1") 2 in 1
Lenovo 10e Chromebook Tablet
500e Chromebook 2nd Gen (11.6") Intel
300e Chromebook 2nd Gen (11.6")
100e Chromebook 2nd Gen (11.6")
14e Chromebook (14")
Chromebook C340 (11")
Chromebook C330 (11.6")
Yoga Chromebook (15.6")
Chromebook 3 (14”)
Lenovo Chromebook S345 (14”)
Chromebook Flex 3i (11”)
Chromebook Flex 5 (13”)
100e Chromebook 2nd Gen (11.6”) AMD
300e Chromebook 2nd Gen (11.6”) AMD
SamsungSamsung Galaxy Chromebook
Samsung Chromebook Plus (LTE)
Samsung Galaxy Chromebook 2
Samsung Chromebook 4+
Samsung Chromebook 4
Samsung Chromebook Plus (V2)
Samsung Chromebook 3
Samsung Chromebook Plus

Easily Extract Files on Your Chromebook

Chrome OS aims at making things simple for users and it has succeeded at that. You don’t need to install or think about ZIP and RAR programs to access the content. Simply, hit enter and there you have it! That said, we hope Google improves things in the future and brings an “Unzip” menu for seamless extraction. Till then, you can use the ways listed above to extract ZIP files on a Chromebook. Anyway, that is all from us. If you want to learn more such Chrome OS tips and tricks then follow our linked article.

comment Comments 6
  • Mounik says:

    Thank you so much. You made my day.

  • lizzie says:

    u ass hole this didn’t work omfg

  • Kar says:

    How do you play the game after you extract it?

  • Bailey says:

    I tried this but it did not even give me an option to use the ZIP selection

  • Sasidharen says:

    Previously I was able to extract Zip folders direct from Chrome File manager. But last week Chrome OS has stopped this feature, without letting Chromebook users know about the change. However there are other ways around this problem.

    I install Zip Extractor from Chrome Webstore and was able to extract the ZIP folder and access the files. Alos able to download the files into a folder in Google Drive. So my issue was resolved.

  • Bonnie Dale Keck says:

    Tried it on various files, some epub and mobi, over various days per your and their instructions. This might have worked back in 2015 or before whenever, but it does abslolutely squat now, and if if by chance it actually TRIES to unzip any file clicked it times out, gives error message, etcetera, and never actually downloads anything, tried 2 dozen files, ZILCH

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