But, if you want the best compression ratio possible, 7z is the way to go. 7z is the least supported - it’s not integrated into any operating system, so you’ll have to install an application to open. If you work with Mac or Linux, you could use a. Windows is the biggest stick-in-the-mud here - it only supports Zip files, so Zip is the most universal format. Tar.gz and tar.bz2 can also be opened in the Files app, and the contents can be extracted.

Chrome OS: Zip and RAR are both supported.

However, in this post, we're going to assume that you've not installed it yet. But, you could still run it on Mac with an application like Parallels Desktop for Mac. Unfortunately, 7-Zip is only available on Windows. tar.bz2 are supported out-of-the-box on Linux, too. How to unzip 7z files on Mac The official file unpacking software for 7z files is 7-Zip. 7z and RAR files will work in standard programs like File Roller, but you’ll have to install the appropriate command-line utilities from your package manager first.

Linux: Zip is generally supported out-of-the-box.Mac OS X: Zip is supported, and so are other archive types like.This feature was added back in Windows XP, so practically every Windows user can create and extract zip files. Here are the formats integrated into popular operating systems: If you’re sending the archives to someone else, or you’re posting them online, you’ll probably want to use a format that the recipients can access with less fuss. However, some archive formats are more interoperable and work out-of-the-box on various operating systems without installing third-party software. If you’re just compressing files for your own use, you can use whatever file format you like. For example, on Windows, select some files in Windows Explorer or File Explorer, right-click them, point to Send To, and select Compressed (zipped) folder. For Ease of Use and Maximum Compatibility: Create Zip files with the feature integrated into your operating system.F or Maximum Compression: Create 7z archives with 7-Zip.

7z mac