# Look inside a ZIP without extracting it

> Drop an archive to browse its folders, preview its files and spot unsafe entries, all in your browser.

See every file in a ZIP, DOCX, XLSX, APK or JAR without unpacking it, preview what is inside and get warnings for unsafe or zip-bomb entries. Free.

- Tool: [ZIP viewer](https://fixmint.cc/zip-viewer)
- Category: [Files & archives](https://fixmint.cc/files)
- Fixes: What is inside this ZIP?
- Runs in the browser: files and text stay on the device, no sign-up, free.

## How to look inside a ZIP file

1. Drop a ZIP, DOCX, XLSX, APK or JAR file on the mat.
2. Browse the folders, filter by name and click a file to preview it.
3. Read the warnings, then download one file or the selected files as a new ZIP.

## Questions

### Does it extract the archive to my disk?

No. The list of files at the end of the archive is read first. Each file is unpacked in memory only when you open or download it. Nothing is written to your disk or uploaded.

### What does the compression warning mean?

An entry of at least 1 MB that unpacks to more than 100 times its packed size is flagged, because it can be a zip bomb: a small file built to fill memory when it is opened. Above 1000 times it is not opened at all.

### Why will some files not preview?

Locked (password-protected) files cannot be read. Text is previewed up to 8 MB, and only its first 200 KB is shown. Pictures, sound and video are previewed up to 128 MB. Anything else can still be downloaded.

### Can it open a password-protected ZIP?

No. Encrypted entries are marked Locked and cannot be read here. The archive itself is not changed.

## Related tools

- [Clean ZIP file](https://fixmint.cc/clean-zip-file): ZIP full of junk and copies
- [File type checker](https://fixmint.cc/file-type-checker): Is this file what its name says?
- [Check file corruption](https://fixmint.cc/check-file-corruption): Is this file broken or cut off?