Create or open ZIP files on your iPhone or iPad

If you need to email a large file or create an archive, a ZIP file can help save space. Here's how to create or open a ZIP file.

Create a ZIP file on your iPhone

  1. Open the Files app, then choose a location like On My iPhone or iCloud Drive.

  2. Tap the More buttonNo alt supplied for Image, then tap Select. Choose one or more files.

    iCloud Drive options shown are Select, New Folder, Scan Documents, Connect to Server, Icons, List, Name, Kind, and Date.

  3. Tap the More buttonNo alt supplied for Image in the lower right, then tap Compress.

    Additional options shown are Copy 2 Items, Tags, New Folder with 2 Items, Compress, Keep Downloaded, and Remove Download.

If you selected one file, a ZIP file with the same filename saves to that folder. If you selected multiple files, a ZIP archive named Archive.zip saves to that folder. To change its name, touch and hold on the ZIP archive, then select Rename.

Open a ZIP file on your iPhone

  1. Open the Files app, then find the ZIP file or archive you want to uncompress.

  2. Tap the ZIP file or archive. A folder is created containing the files. To change its name, touch and hold on the folder, then tap Rename.

  3. Tap to open the folder.

Create a ZIP file on your iPad

  1. Open the Files app, then choose a location like On My iPad or iCloud Drive.

  2. Tap Select, then choose one or more files.

  3. Tap More, then tap Compress.

    Options shown are Copy 2 Items, Tags, New Folder with 2 Items, Compress, Keep Downloaded, and Remove Downloaded.

    If you selected one file, a ZIP file with the same filename saves to that folder. If you selected multiple files, a ZIP archive named Archive.zip saves to that folder. To change its name, touch and hold on the ZIP archive, then select Rename.

Open a ZIP file on your iPad

  1. Open the Files app, then find the ZIP file or archive you want to uncompress.

  2. Tap the ZIP file or archive. A folder is created containing the files. To change its name, touch and hold on the folder, then tap Rename.

Need more help?

Tell us more about what's happening, and we’ll suggest what you can do next.

Get suggestions

Published Date: