Sharing multiple files is a pain, and that’s precisely when archives make this task easier by combining multiple files into one. On Windows and most other PC operating systems, you won’t need additional tools to open the most popular archive formats. Recently, Microsoft added support for RAR and other archive files on Windows 11, enabling the operating system to open and extract archive files seamlessly. On the other hand, when it comes to mobile devices, things aren’t that robust. 

Most popular file manager programs can open standard archive formats. However, these apps hit hard when creating or extracting archive files. Some options might be there and serve everyday purposes, but if you deal with archives a lot, you will need a stable solution. Today, I will talk about how to open zip files on mobile or, better, how to open all types of archives on your mobile. This will help you view archived files sent to you on the go, or create archive files and send them seamlessly.

So, without further delay, let’s start by discussing how to open zip files on mobile if you work with archives.

Using Solid Explorer

Solid Explorer File Manager is a paid file explorer you must buy once and use on as many Android devices as you want. When dealing with archives, you can create ZIP and 7ZIP archives with existing files on your device. It supports creating archives without compression, low, medium, and ultra-level compression, as per your requirement. ZIP is a legacy format for archiving files; hence, your boss won’t shout for compatibility issues with the archives you send.

However, if you mainly download files from multiple sources, Solid Explorer can open archive files in various formats—RAR, TAR.GZ, TAR.BZ2, ZIP, and 7ZIP files—and extract the contents for you, at least on paper. Sometimes, I observed Solid Explorer failing to extract 7ZIP archives. I could not identify the exact reason for such failures, but I think it could be because of some platform limitations, or it might have been fixed in the subsequent updates to the app.

Using ZArchiver

Unlike Solid Explorer, ZArchiver is a dedicated tool offering powerful tools to deal with archives on your Android. Using ZArchiver, you can create archive files across popular and not-so-popular formats. ZArchiver offers a file explorer-like view where you can create archives from files and folders by long-tapping on the items.

ZArchiver also supports the creation of encrypted archive files. It ensures that the archives are not unauthorized while being stored and shared. You can use ZArchiver to create archives in different file formats like 7Z, TAR, TAR.GZ, and TAR.XZ, TAR.ZSTD, and many others. ZArchiver is free to download and use, and hence, if you already have a good file explorer, this free tool should be on your handset.

Those were the two ways to open zip files or better archives on your mobile. Most modern file managers will support archives, so you will not have to worry. If you need to deal with archives occasionally, Solid Explorer is more than enough, as it has many features like creating different types of archives, encrypted archives, and more. However, if you are looking for a dedicated tool, go for ZArchiver, which has extra features you will need.

So, that’s all about how to open zip files on mobile. Do you have any questions? Feel free to comment on the same below.