Software & Apps Linux 61 61 people found this article helpful The Linux 'unzip' Command The 'unzip' command supports command-line options to customize its use by Gary Newell Writer Gary Newell was a freelance contributor, application developer, and software tester with 20+ years in IT, working on Linux, UNIX, and Windows. our editorial process Gary Newell Updated on February 29, 2020 reviewed by Ryan Perian Lifewire Tech Review Board Member Ryan Perian is a certified IT specialist who holds numerous IT certifications and has 12+ years' experience working in the IT industry support and management positions. our review board Article reviewed on Mar 15, 2020 Ryan Perian Tweet Share Email Linux Switching from Windows Zipping files is an easy, efficient way to transfer data between computers and servers. When files are compressed, they not only save disk space on a local drive but also make it easier and more convenient to download files from the internet, using far less bandwidth in most cases than sending full-size files. Lifewire / Ashley Nicole DeLeon After you receive a zipped archive, decompress it with a single Linux command. The unzip command supports many switches to customize how the command works. Decompress Single ZIP Files The basic syntax for decompressing a file is: unzip filename Assume you've zipped an archive titled sample.zip that contains three text files. To unzip this file to the current folder, run the following command: unzip sample.zip Unzip several files by listing them all sequentially—e.g., unzip first.zip second.zip third.zip—or by using a wildcard, e.g., unzip *.zip. Alternatively, use the graphical user interface for your desktop environment to extract zip files. Each DE uses different approaches, but in general, a right-click on the zipped file and an uncompress or extract menu option will get you started. Options Use the following options to modify how the base unzip command works: -d /path/to/extact/location: Unzip an archive to a different directory.-j: Unzip without creating new folders, if the zipped archive contains a folder structure.-l: Lists the contents of an archive file without extracting it.-n: Do not overwrite existing files; supply an alternative filename instead.-o: Overwrite files, if relevant.-P password: Supplies a password to unzip a protected archive file.-q: Unzips without writing status messages to the standard output.-t: Tests whether an archive file is valid.-v: Displays detailed (verbose) information about the archive without extracting it.-x filename: Extract the archive but do not extract the specified files. Was this page helpful? Thanks for letting us know! Get the Latest Tech News Delivered Every Day Email Address Sign up There was an error. Please try again. You're in! Thanks for signing up. There was an error. Please try again. Thank you for signing up. Tell us why! Other Not enough details Hard to understand Submit