Top 5 Ways to Unzip Files in Google Drive

In the digital age, ZIP files, as a common compression format, are widely used for storing and transferring large files. However, when these files are stored on Google Drive, many users wonder how to unzip them. When faced with a large ZIP or RAR archive, the traditional workflow—downloading it locally, extracting it, and then re-uploading— is not only inefficient but also extremely time-consuming and bandwidth-intensive. This article will detail five effective methods to help you unzip ZIP files directly within Google Drive. Whether you are a beginner or an experienced user, these methods will enable you to manage your files with ease.

Method 1: Using a Google Workspace Marketplace App (Taking ZIP Extractor as an Example)

For most users, the most direct and convenient way is to use officially certified third-party apps from the Google Workspace Marketplace. These apps seamlessly integrate into your Google Drive interface, providing a right-click, ready-to-use extraction experience. Among them, ZIP Extractor is one of the most popular and trusted applications.

How to Use ZIP Extractor:

1. Install the App: Visit the Google Workspace Marketplace, search for "ZIP Extractor," click "Install," and authorize it to access your Google Drive. This usually only takes a few seconds.

   

2. Locate the File: In your Google Drive, find the compressed file that you want to unzip.

3. Right-Click to Extract: Right-click the file, select "Open with" from the menu, and then click "ZIP Extractor."

   

4. Authorization and Operation: The first time you use it, you will need to grant authorization again. After that, the ZIP Extractor interface will load, displaying the list of files inside the archive.

5. Perform Extraction: Check the files you want to extract (all are selected by default), then click the "Extract to Drive" button. Once the extraction is complete, you can click "View Files in Drive" to see the extracted files directly in your Google Drive.

   

Advantages:

• Intuitive Operation: Simply right-click the compressed file, select "Open with" → "ZIP Extractor," and you can view the contents of the archive in a new browser tab.

• Selective Extraction: You can preview all files and folders inside the archive and choose only the parts you need to extract, without having to unzip the entire file.

• Supports Multiple Formats: Besides ZIP, it also supports extracting common formats such as RAR, TAR, GZ, BZ2, and more.

Disadvantages:

• Uses Local Resources: The extraction process consumes your computer's CPU and memory. When handling archives several gigabytes in size, you may notice your computer slowing down, making it unsuitable for very large files.

• Consumes Network Bandwidth: The workflow involves: 1) the browser downloading the ZIP file from Google Drive into your computer's memory; 2) extracting it locally; 3) uploading the extracted files back to Google Drive. This back-and-forth uses significant network bandwidth.

• Depends on Browser Stability: You must keep the browser tab open until the extraction and upload are complete. If the tab is accidentally closed, the task will be interrupted.

• Free Extraction Limited to Certain Formats: Typically, only ZIP files can be extracted for free; other formats like .7z or .rar may require payment for full extraction features.

Reliability Considerations:

ZIP Extractor has over ten million users and a large number of positive reviews, making it a well-established and market-proven application. During authorization, it explicitly requests permission to access and modify files in your Google Drive, which is necessary for its functionality. Be sure to install it from the official Marketplace to ensure security. For handling files that are not highly confidential, it is a very trustworthy choice.

Method 2: The King of Performance and Cross-Cloud Operations — RiceDrive (Server-Side Extraction)

Unlike ZIP Extractor's "privacy-first" approach, RiceDrive adopts a "performance and functionality-first" model based on server-side processing. When handling large files, performing seamless operations across multiple cloud drives, or aiming for maximum efficiency, RiceDrive's advantages become unmistakably clear.

How to Use RiceDrive to Extract Files from Google Drive:

1. Visit and Log In: Go to the official RiceDrive website (ricedrive.com). You can log in securely and conveniently using your Google account with direct authorization.

2. Connect Google Drive: After logging in, click on "Link Drive" on the main interface. Select Google Drive from the list and follow the prompts to authorize access. This will add your Google Drive account to RiceDrive.

   

3. Locate the Compressed File: In the "My Drives" list on the left side of RiceDrive, click on the Google Drive account you just added. Browse through the folders to find the compressed file you want to extract.

   

4. Create an Extraction Task: Right-click on the compressed file and select "Extract to".

5. Choose Destination: In the pop-up window, you can choose to extract the files to a specific folder within your current Google Drive, or even to any location in another connected cloud drive (such as OneDrive).

   

6. Start Extraction and View Files: After confirming the destination path, click "OK". RiceDrive will begin the extraction task directly in the cloud. You can monitor the progress in the task list, and once completed, the extracted files will appear in the folder you specified.

   

Core Advantages of RiceDrive:

• Powerful Cloud-Based Performance:All extraction tasks are handled on RiceDrive's robust servers, which means:

  • No Local Resource Usage: Your computer won't lag or slow down during extraction.

  • No Local Bandwidth Consumption: Data transfers occur directly between Google's servers and RiceDrive's servers, without using your internet bandwidth.

  • Background Task Processing: You only need to issue the extraction command. You can then close the browser, and RiceDrive will complete the task in the cloud. This is especially crucial for large files that are tens of gigabytes in size.

• Multi-Cloud Aggregated Management: RiceDrive's standout feature is its ability to manage multiple cloud drives—such as Google Drive, Dropbox, OneDrive, MEGA, and more—from a single interface. You can effortlessly perform cross-cloud extractions. For example, extract a ZIP file stored in Google Drive directly into your OneDrive, or unzip a MEGA archive into Google Drive.

• Batch Extraction:Supports selecting and extracting multiple compressed files at once, significantly boosting efficiency—ideal for handling large volumes of files.

• No Installation Required: RiceDrive is a pure web-based application. There's no need to install any software on your computer—simply access the website through your browser to use all features.

• Free Quota & Premium Services: Supports multiple archive formats including ZIP, RAR, and 7Z. Each user gets 10GB of free extraction traffic per month, which is sufficient for most regular users. For those with higher demands, the paid plans offer excellent value.

Limitations:

• Currently does not support extracting password-protected archives.

• No preview of archive contents before extraction.

• Only full extraction is supported — you cannot extract individual files from within an archive.

Professionalism and Trustworthiness Analysis:

RiceDrive uses the standard OAuth 2.0 authorization protocol, which means it never accesses your cloud drive passwords. All authorization tokens are securely encrypted and stored locally in your browser, ensuring the safety of your accounts.

With a clear privacy policy and professional-grade service, RiceDrive is a trustworthy choice for managing sensitive data. In practice, its smooth user experience and powerful cross-cloud capabilities make it far superior to single-purpose extraction tools when handling complex file management tasks.

Method 3: Using Google Colab Scripts for Extraction

For users familiar with programming, Google Colab offers a powerful method to extract ZIP files directly within Google Drive using Python scripts.

1. Open Google Colab: Visit colab.research.google.com and sign in with your Google account.

2. Mount Google Drive:

   • Create a new notebook.

     

   • In the code cell, enter the following code and click the play (triangle) button to run it:

     
     from google.colab import drive 
     drive.mount('/content/drive')
     

     

   • Follow the prompts to authorize access to your Google Drive.

     

3. Write the extraction script (for ZIP format):

   • Enter the following Python code in Colab:

     
     import zipfile
     import os
     
     # Replace with the path to your ZIP file
     zip_path = '/content/drive/My Drive/your_zip_file.zip'
     # Replace with the destination path for extraction
     extract_path = '/content/drive/My Drive/extracted_folder'
     
     # Create the extraction directory
     os.makedirs(extract_path, exist_ok=True)
     
     # Extract the files
     with zipfile.ZipFile(zip_path, 'r') as zip_ref:
         zip_ref.extractall(extract_path)
     print("Extraction completed.")
     

   • Modify zip_path to the path of your ZIP file, and extract_path to the destination path where the extracted files will be stored.

4. Run the script: Click the Run button, and the script will automatically extract the ZIP file in your Google Drive.

   

5. Check the result: After extraction is complete, go to the specified folder in your Google Drive to view the files.

If you want to extract a password-protected ZIP file, you need to pass the parameter pwd=... to the extractall() method. The password must be in bytes format, not a string (str).

• Step 1: Install pyzipper (run in Colab)

  
  !pip install pyzipper
  

• Step 2: Use pyzipper to extract a password-protected ZIP file

  
  import pyzipper
  import os
  zip_path = '/content/drive/My Drive/your_zip_file.zip'
  extract_path = '/content/drive/My Drive/extracted_folder'
  zip_password = 'your_password'  # Replace with the actual password.
  os.makedirs(extract_path, exist_ok=True)
  with pyzipper.AESZipFile(zip_path) as zip_file:
      zip_file.pwd = zip_password.encode('utf-8')
      zip_file.extractall(path=extract_path)
  print("Extraction completed.")
  

For RAR Format:

RAR files require the rarfile library because Python's standard library does not natively support RAR format. In Google Colab, you'll need to install both rarfile and its backend dependency unrar. Here are the steps:

Steps:

1. Install dependencies: Run the following code in Google Colab:

   
   !pip install rarfile
   !apt-get install -y unrar
   

2. Extract RAR File: Use the following code to extract the RAR file:

   
   import rarfile
   import os
   rar_path = '/content/drive/My Drive/your_rar_file.rar'
   extract_path = '/content/drive/My Drive/extracted_folder'
   os.makedirs(extract_path, exist_ok=True)
   with rarfile.RarFile(rar_path) as rf:
       rf.extractall(extract_path)
   print("Extraction completed.")
   

Note:

• Make sure the path to the RAR file is correct.

• If the RAR file is password-protected, you need to add the pwd='your_password' parameter in the RarFile constructor. For example:

  
  with rarfile.RarFile(rar_path) as rf:
      rf.extractall(extract_path, pwd='your_password')
  

For 7z Format:

7z files require the py7zr library, as Python's standard library also does not support the 7z format. Google Colab allows easy installation of py7zr for handling these files.

Steps:

1. Install py7zr: Run the following command in Google Colab:

   
   !pip install py7zr
   

2. Extract 7z File: Use the following code to extract a 7z file:

   
   import py7zr
   import os
   sevenz_path = '/content/drive/My Drive/your_7z_file.7z'
   extract_path = '/content/drive/My Drive/extracted_folder'
   os.makedirs(extract_path, exist_ok=True)
   with py7zr.SevenZipFile(sevenz_path, mode='r') as z:
       z.extractall(extract_path)
   print("7z Extraction completed.")
   

Note:

If the 7z file is password-protected, you need to add the password='your_password' parameter in the SevenZipFile constructor. For example:

with py7zr.SevenZipFile(sevenz_path, mode='r', password='your_password') as z:
    z.extractall(extract_path)

Advantages: High flexibility, suitable for batch processing or automation tasks.

Disadvantages: Requires basic Python knowledge, which may be challenging for beginners.

Method 4: Download the ZIP File and Extract Locally

If Google Drive cannot extract the file directly, or if you need to handle encrypted or complex ZIP files, you can download the file and extract it on your local computer.

1. Log in to Google Drive: Visit drive.google.com and sign in.

2. Locate the ZIP File: Find the ZIP file you want to extract in your Google Drive.

3. Download the File: Right-click the ZIP file and select "Download". The file will be saved to your computer in ZIP format.

4. Extract Locally:

   • Windows: Right-click the downloaded ZIP file, select "Extract All", then choose the destination folder.

   • Mac: Double-click the ZIP file, and macOS will automatically extract it to the same directory.

   • Third-Party Tools: Use software like WinRAR or 7-Zip for extracting encrypted or more complex archives.

5. Re-upload: After extraction, upload the files or folders back to Google Drive for further use.

Advantages: Suitable for all types of ZIP files, including encrypted ones.

Disadvantages: Requires downloading and uploading, which can be time-consuming, especially for large files.

Method 5: Built-in Convenience — Native ChromeOS & Android Features

This method relies on the native support for ZIP files provided by ChromeOS and Android systems, allowing users to seamlessly access compressed files stored in Google Drive directly within the operating system—no need for third-party apps or extensions.

Essentially, this is a "local processing" approach, similar to ZIP Extractor, where files are not uploaded to any third-party servers for extraction but are instead decompressed, viewed, and used directly on your device. The difference lies in:

• It is a built-in system feature, requiring no additional software installation by the user.

• The extraction process is almost identical to handling local files, offering seamless integration and a natural user experience.

Advantages:

• No app installation required All functions are supported natively by the operating system itself.

• Simple operation, close to native file experience Users can click ZIP files just like browsing regular folders; the system automatically previews, expands, and even copies files inside.

• Data never passes through third-party servers, ensuring higher privacy All extraction happens locally on the device, avoiding potential data leakage risks—ideal for users with strong privacy concerns.

• Tight integration with Google Drive On ChromeOS, Google Drive is mounted like a local disk, so accessing compressed files doesn't require manually downloading them first.

Limitations:

1. Basic functionality

   • Only supports common .zip format (very limited or no support for .rar, .7z, and other formats).

   • Lacks advanced features like batch extraction, password-protected archive handling, or corrupted archive repair.

2. Depends on device resources

   • Extracting large files consumes local CPU, memory, and storage.

   • For multi-GB archives, users may experience lag, faster battery drain, or extraction failures.

3. Compatibility issues with Android file managers

   • Due to manufacturer differences, not all Android devices support ZIP extraction by default.

FAQ

Can you unzip files in Google Drive?

Yes! This article presents 5 practical methods to extract compressed files in Google Drive, covering scenarios from native system features to professional cloud tools. Whether you're on a computer or a mobile device, there's always a method that suits your needs.

What about password-protected ZIP files?

Google Drive's built-in features do not support encrypted files. It is recommended to use tools like ZIP Extractor or download the file locally and extract it with WinRAR, 7-Zip, or similar software, then re-upload the extracted files.

Where are extracted files stored?

When using Google Drive's built-in features or third-party apps, extracted files are usually saved in the same directory as the original ZIP file. With Google Colab and RiceDrive, you can customize the extraction path.

Conclusion: Choose the Right Tool to Unlock Your Cloud Productivity

The five methods introduced above — local extraction, third-party apps and extensions, and Google Colab scripts — each have their own strengths and are suited to different scenarios.

• If you need to quickly unzip simple files, Google Drive's built-in features offer a convenient solution.

• For encrypted or complex archives, local extraction or third-party apps are more appropriate.

• Google Colab provides a flexible option for tech-savvy users comfortable with scripting.

We hope this guide helps you easily achieve your goal of extracting ZIP files in Google Drive and efficiently manage your files! Here's a quick summary for different needs:

• For convenience: Method 1 (Google Workspace Marketplace apps) or Method 5 (native ChromeOS/Android features) are best for fast handling of simple files.

• For large or complex files: Method 2 (RiceDrive) is more efficient, especially when cloud-side operations or support for RAR/7z formats are needed.

• For device limitations: ChromeOS or Android users can prioritize Method 5 and Method 2 (RiceDrive).

Whether you are a daily user or a tech enthusiast, these methods will help you effectively unzip compressed files stored in Google Drive. Choose the best approach based on your file size, compression format, device environment, and privacy requirements.

Try them out now and unleash the efficiency and convenience of cloud productivity!