Tips to open 7-ZIP file

Can't open the 7-ZIP file? You are not the only one. Thousands of users face similar problems every day. Below you will find tips on how to open 7-ZIP files as well as a list of programs that support 7-ZIP files.

7-ZIP file extension

File Name 7z Compressed Archive
File Developer Igor Pavlov
File Category Archive Files

The 7-ZIP file is supported on 2 operating systems. Depending on your operating system, you may need different software to handle the 7-ZIP files. Below is a summary of the number of programs that support and open the 7-ZIP file on each system platform.

Operating systems
  • 6
  • 2
  • 0
  • 0
  • 0
  • 0

What is 7-ZIP file?

The file with the extension 7-ZIP is the Archive Files file type. The author of this format is Igor Pavlov. Archive Files consists of 619 similar files. 7z Compressed Archive is supported by 2 operating systems. The file will work on Mac OS, Windows systems, unfortunately not on others. It is recommended to use 7-Zip to handle this file. This is a program created by Igor Pavlov. Alternatively, you can use 7 other programs. ALZip, PeaZip, WinRAR, PowerArchiver will apply when it is not possible to use 7-Zip.

How to open 7-ZIP file?

An often recurring problem with 7z Compressed Archive is that 7-ZIP is not associated with the correct program file. Thus, when you open 7-ZIP, the program selection wizard or some other program starts. How to solve such a problem?

The first thing you should do is just "doubleclick" on the 7-ZIP file icon you want to open. If the operating system has an appropriate application to support it and there is also an association between the file and the program, the file should be opened.

Step 1. Install 7-Zip

The first step is to check if the computer has the 7-Zip program installed. The easiest method is to use the system search engine by entering the program name 7-Zip in it. In the absence of an appropriate program, its installation in the vast majority of cases will fix the problem. Below you will find a list of applications that support 7-ZIP files.

Step 2. Create association of 7-Zip with 7-ZIP files

If the application is or has been freshly installed, but the 7-ZIP file still does not use the 7-Zip program, it means no association. This option is available from the level of Properties of a specific file available in the context menu. The window will show, among other things, the type of the file and the information by which the program is used to launch the file. Using the "Change" button we can set the program to handle this type. The program should be visible in the window, otherwise it should be selected manually using the "Browse" button and the program installation directory should be indicated. The "always use the selected program ..." field will set the 7-Zip application as the default for handling the 7-ZIP file.

Step 3. Update 7-Zip to the latest version

The fault may also lie with the 7-Zip program, it is possible that 7z Compressed Archive requires a newer version of the program. In this case, use the Igor Pavlov website or update the program from the application.

Step 4. Check for the following problems with the 7-ZIP file

If the above steps do not help, you can assume that the file itself is not correct. This could be due to the file itself, the cleanest issues are:

The affected file may be 0 KB or smaller than expected. This suggests truncating the 7-ZIP file contents when downloading or copying. The file should be downloaded again, making sure that the process has finished correctly.
The most common cause here is computer viruses. A virus scan using an up-to-date antivirus program should fix the problem. If this is not possible, you can use the online scanner. The scan should cover the entire computer, not only the 7-ZIP file that we want to open. Sometimes virus-infected 7-ZIP files cannot be recovered, so make a backup in advance.
A typical compatibility error - the program does not support the older version of the 7-ZIP file. These problems are known and are often very easy to fix using the software developers's website.
The file may be corrupted in a number of ways. Depending on the type of file, it is necessary to repair it accordingly. Some programs offer the option of recovering data from damaged 7-ZIP files. The easiest way is to restore the file from a backup, if there is one, or contact Igor Pavlov
The program indicates that the file is encrypted or corrupted. The encrypted 7-ZIP files cannot be played on other computers than the one on which they were encrypted, they must be decrypted before using on another device.
Some operating systems do not allow file operations in certain locations, eg in system directories or directly on the system drive. While there is usually no problem reading such a file, it may not be possible to save it. It is best to move 7-ZIP to a different directory.
This can happen on a file that does not support multiple access. In this case, the 7-ZIP file is blocked by the first application to open it. Closing other programs should help. Sometimes you have to wait for the session to the file 7-ZIP to close. However, some background programs may block the 7-ZIP file while scanning. If this does not work either, restart the device.