Introduction
If you downloaded a file that ends in .tar.gz or .zip, this indicates that it has been compressed. This guide will walk you through unzipping a zipped file in Ubuntu.
Prerequisites
- Access to a terminal window/command-line (Ctrl-Alt-T)
- Zip/unzip utility (included by default)
How to Install the Zip and Unzip Utility in Ubuntu
Ubuntu distributions usually include the zip and unzip utilities. If for some reason your’s does not, use the following command to install it:
sudo apt-get install zip unzip
The output in our example confirms that the latest version is already installed:
Unzip a File Using the Command Line
This guide assumes that you’ve already downloaded a file that has been zipped, and that you know where it’s located. Let’s assume that we have downloaded a file called test.zip to the /home/user/Documents/ directory.
Start by opening a command-line (also called a terminal window). By default, you should start in the /home/user/ directory.
To list the contents of the directory you’re currently viewing enter:
ls
Ubuntu will color-code different entries.
Directories are colored blue, regular files are colored white (the same as the text you type).
To change to the Documents directory, use the command:
cd Documents
As the folder only contains the test.zip file, the output look like this:
Note the capitalized D in Downloads. It is necessary to type the name of the directory exactly as you see it on the screen. Linux treats /Downloads/ and /downloads as two different directories.
Enter ls
again. And you’ll get a different listing – the content of the Documents folder.
To unzip the test.zip file, enter the following:
unzip test.zip
The system will decompress the test.zip file, and place a copy of the contents in the /Documents directory.
Normal copying conventions apply. If the test.zip file contains a file named document.txt, and a file with that name already exists in the target directory, the system will ask if you want to overwrite the file
Other Linux Unzip Commands
The zip and unzip commands can be used with additional options to have more control over how they work. Here are just a few common ones.
How to Unzip Multiple ZIP Files
For example the folder /Documents/zipped has several files zipped in it. Use the cd command to change to that directory:
cd zipped
To unzip all the files in that directory.:
unzip “*.zip”
The * sign is a wildcard, which means “any number of any characters.” So, any file that ends in .zip would be found and unzipped by entering this command.
How to Test If a ZIP File Is Valid
You can use the –t option with the zip command to test the file first. Enter the following:
unzip -t test.zip
This is useful if you think the zipped file has been damaged or corrupted.
The system will tell you if it detects any errors (or if it doesn’t).
How to Exclude Files When Unzipping a ZIP File
Some zip files have several different files included in them. You can extract all of them, or you can exclude some of them.
To exclude a particular file:
unzip test.zip –x a_particular_file.txt
This would prevent the file a_particular_file.txt from being extracted from the zip file.
How to List the Contents of a Zip File
To view a list of the contents of a zip file use the -l command:
unzip -l test.zip
The output lists the files within the test.zip folder.
Extract a ZIP File to a Different Directory
To specify that you want to unzip the files to a different destination than the directory you’re in, type the command:
unzip test.zip –d /home/user/destination
The –d switch tells the system to put the unzipped files somewhere else. You can substitute the path to a location of your choice for /home/user/destination.
Conclusion
You now know how to use Ubuntu to unzip and access the content of Zip Files in Linux.
Author
Vladimir Kaplarevic
Vladimir is a resident Tech Writer at phoenixNAP. He has more than 7 years of experience in implementing e-commerce and online payment solutions with various global IT services providers. His articles aim to instill a passion for innovative technologies in others by providing practical advice and using an engaging writing style.