The .7z is a compressed file format that is developed with Igor Pavlov’s 7-Zip file compression power. It supports various data compression and encrypted shield algorithm. However, LZMA compression is chosen by default for a greater compression ratio. The strong AES-256 (256-bit) encryption and unicode file labels are entirely supported.
The 7-Zip program archiver is the default software to launch 7Z files. It is openly released within the terms of the GNU Lesser General Public License (LGPL).
What are 7z files?
First, a .7z file is an archive file format that stands for 7-zip, you may think of .7z files such as any other archive files (such as .rar, .zip, .gz,… ).
Normally, macOS does not open these files, but you don’t worry about that because there’s a provided application that can open the .7z file on Mac and some app is free.
How to open 7z files on Mac
How do you unzip 7z archives by default?
Even without 7-Zip, macOS can extract .7z archives with a built-in program called Archive Utility. Archive Utility on Mac is a powerful data compression program that can be used to create archives of any size. It provides the option to compress and decompress files and folders.
Archive Utility also offers an extensive list of formats in which it can archive your files, including ZIP/ZIPX, RAR/RAR5 (including encrypted), 7z (all types), TAR (including compressed with gzip or bzip2), LHA/LHaplus (LZH) and many more!
However, you can’t use it to convert an archive from one format to another or splitting archives into parts. It also hasn’t the ability to add password protection to your archives. For that, you can use a third-party app such as Unarchiver, Keta, BetterZip and Archiver.
Here is how to unzip 7z file.
- To unarchive 7z file, right-click the file and select “Open With.”
- Then select Archive Utility.
- The unarchived file should be placed in the same place.
How to Open 7z Files on Mac Using Unarchiver
The Unarchiver is a powerful and useful tool that can unzip files of any kind, even if the file type isn’t one that is normally supported by macOS. It also has an intuitive interface with helpful features such as drag-and-drop support and the ability to save archives in formats other than ZIP. It’s perfect for anyone who needs to work with compressed or archived files on their Mac.
The Unarchiver can open a variety of archive formats, including ZIP, 7ZIP, TAR.GZ, ISO and more. The app will also show you the contents of the archive as well as allow you to extract individual files from it.
First, you need to download and install Unarchiver app: Click Here
Then, just double click on any .7z files which you need to open and use on your Mac. It will uncompress automatically.
That’s all. Now you can always open the .7z files on your Mac anytime you want.
More applications to open .7z file
Further, you can use some different free applications to open .7z such as:
Keka
There are many people who need to compress files and folders on their computers. The most popular solution is using zip archives, but this can be a problem because it takes up too much space and you might not want to delete the original file. Keka is an alternative that offers the same compression abilities as a zip without taking up so much space or requiring deletion of originals.
Keka is a file archiver for macOS that uses the 7z format. 7z files are often smaller than other archive formats, but they offer better compression and decompression speeds. Keka can open almost any type of archive, whether it’s a ZIP file or something else. It also has great encryption capabilities with an AES-256 bit encryption on all data that is stored in archives outside of system memory.
- Compression formats supported: 7z, Zip, Tar, Gzip, Bzip2, DMG, ISO
- Extraction formats supported: RAR, 7z, Lzma, Zip, Tar, Gzip, Bzip2, ISO, EXE, CAB, PAX, ACE (PPC).
B1 Free Archiver
B1 Free Archiver is a powerful, free file compression utility that can be used to archive files and folders. It also features an intuitive interface with built-in help so you don’t need any prior knowledge about archiving in order to use the program. The application supports the following formats: ZIP, 7ZIP, TAR GZ/TGZ, ARJ, JAR, RAR,…
BetterZip 5
BetterZip is a simple tool that makes it easy to zip and unzip files. It’s perfect for those who want an alternative to the default macOS zip program. It can currently open and extract over 30 archive formats, including: ZIP, TAR, TGZ, TBZ, TXZ, TZ, Zstandard, Brotli, 7-Zip (Windows), RAR (Winmail.dat), DMG (Apple Disk Images), TNEF (winmail.dat)…
Archiver 4
Archiver 4 is a powerful and easy to use archiving software for macOS. It has the ability to compress files in 7z, zip, tar, gzip formats. Archiver allows you to keep your critical data private and secure. Pack your files in encrypted, password-protected archives to safeguard them. You can also split and combine files in a few mouse clicks with Archiver. Furthermore, Archiver allows you to generate split archives.
Supported Archive File Formats:
- Zip & WinZip .zip
- RAR & WinRAR .rar, r00
- 7zip .7z .7z.001 .7z.002…
- Stufflt .sit .sitx
- Stufflt Expander .sea
- Tar .tar
- Tar Gzip .tar.gz .tgz
- Tar Bzip2 .tar.bz2 .tbz
- …
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is a 7z file?
A 7z file is a compressed archive used to store files of any format. You can use this compression tool to take up less space on your hard drive and make accessing the files faster.
For Windows users, the best option for opening a 7z file is probably the free and open-source application 7-Zip. For Mac users, Archive Utility and Keta is the best option to open a 7z file.
Can Windows open 7z files?
No, Windows users will need a third-party application to open a 7z file. There are many free options for Windows available that support 7z files. The best option is 7-Zip or you can use WINZIP, WINRAR,…
Are 7z files safe?
7z files are often considered to be relatively safe. The compressed archive is much safer than regular file storage because it only contains the information that has been compressed into it.
Is WinRAR compatible with 7z?
Yes, WinRAR can open a range of file formats such as 7z, RAR, ZIP, JAR, ISO, and so on. Only RAR and ZIP files are produced by this tool. In the year 1995, Eugene Roshal launched this software program.
Conclusion
If you need help opening 7z files on Mac, then this article has the answer for you. We’ve outlined what a 7z file is and how to open one in various formats including Windows (via free third-party applications) and macOS (using Archive Utility or Keta).
The .7z file extension is a type of compressed archive format for data files. This article will show you how to open and extract these types of files. If you have any questions, please leave a comment below!
Solomen is the founder of MrHow.io, and he is happiest when working with technology and able to help others. In his free time, he often listens to Baroque music, swims or runs. Feel free to contact him on social media!
