.zip
Archives · application/zip
Opens with
Several files bundled into one and squeezed smaller. Until you extract it, you only see the list of what is inside.
| MIME type | application/zip |
|---|---|
| Category | Archives |
| Opens in a browser | No |
| Plain text | No |
| Registered type | Yes |
The same file, another name
These share a MIME type. Renaming between them usually just works.
How to read this
- An extension is a label, not the contents. Rename a file to .png and if the bytes inside are JPEG, it is still a JPEG.
- A MIME type is how the internet names a file kind. Browsers look at that value, not the extension, to decide whether to display or download.
- A MIME type starting with x- was never registered as a standard. Plenty are in wide use, but they are not official names.
- Video extensions name a container. The same .mp4 may play on one device and not another, depending on the codec inside.
Frequently asked questions
QWhat is a .zip file?
It belongs to the archives category and its MIME type is application/zip. The contents are binary, so opening it in a text editor shows garbage.
QWhat opens a .zip file?
Explorer, Finder, 7-Zip, WinRAR all handle it. In a browser it does not display — the browser downloads it instead.
QWhat is the MIME type of .zip?
application/zip. The first half, application, names the broad kind; the second half, zip, names the exact format. It is a registered standard name.
QIs any other extension the same format as .zip?
.zipx share the very same MIME type. Renaming between them usually just works.
QMy .zip file will not open.
First check that Explorer is installed. If it still fails, the download may have been cut short, or the file may only be named .zip while holding a different format inside.