ZArchiver 1.0.10 for Android

ZArchiver 1.0.10 for Android is a free archive manager by the developer Ant-ON that opens and creates compressed files on your phone or tablet. It is light, easy to install from Google Play and handy whenever you receive a ZIP or another archive by email or messenger; here are the quick facts and a short how-to.

Quick facts

What ZArchiver is for

Android can show files, but it is not good at dealing with archives. ZArchiver fills that gap: it lists the contents of an archive, extracts everything or just the files you select, and packs files and folders into a new archive when you want to send a batch of photos or documents as one file. It works as a simple file manager too, so you can browse folders, copy, move and delete files from the same screen. People reach for it when a game or app arrives as a split archive, when a work document comes in a compressed attachment, or when they want to free space by packing old files. The app is small and does not need an account, which is part of its long-standing popularity on Android.

How to install and use

1. Open Google Play, search for ZArchiver and check the developer name and reviews before installing.
2. Grant access to storage when the app asks, so it can see your files.
3. To extract, tap an archive and choose to extract here or into a new folder.
4. To create an archive, select files, tap the menu and choose to compress them; set a password if the contents are private.

Safety tips

• Install only from Google Play; copies from forums can be modified.
• Scan extracted files, especially APK packages, before opening them.
• Be careful with archives from unknown senders, even if they look like documents.
• Use strong passwords for archives with personal data.

Tips for large archives

Extract big archives onto internal storage rather than a slow memory card, keep the screen on until the job finishes, and make sure you have at least as much free space as the unpacked size. For split archives, keep all parts in the same folder and open the part numbered one.

Pros and cons

• Pro: very small and free.
• Pro: handles extraction and creation of archives.
• Pro: doubles as a basic file manager.
• Con: the interface looks plain.
• Con: no official website with documentation.

Alternatives

Other archive and storage apps for Android in our listings: RAR for working with RAR files, and MEGA or Google One if you want to store files in the cloud instead of compressing them.