Files that contain the file extension 7Z are archive files. They are very similar to files with the ZIP or RAR extension. The use of 7Z files have been in existence for more than a decade and are popular ways of backing up important data using compression to store multiple files in a single folder. When files are compressed, they can be easily transferred from one storage device to another or transmitted rapidly over the Internet via an email attachment.
The 7Z file extension is also popular due to its ability to handle a large volume of files before a high compression ratio is used to reduce the size of the file which can be as much as forty percent less than other compression formats. This is a positive advantage if it is necessary to email a large volume of files to a recipient without exceeding the limitations placed on file size by email service providers.
How to Open 7Z Files
To understand how to open a 7Z file, it helps to know where this type of file originates. 7Z file extensions are created using Windows archiving software. This means that such files can be opened with virtually any type of third party software such as 7-Zip. Other types of third party software also include programs, such as WinZip and WinRAR, which also support the 7Z format.
Using 7-Zip as an example, you must first download and install the software in order to open files with the 7Z extension. 7-Zip is designed to work with the Windows operating system. Once you have the program installed, you simply open it, select the 7Z files you want to view and click on Open. 7-Zip will open the file, so you can view the contents of the folder.
In the event a directory describing the folder contents is not supplied, it is necessary to open the entire folder to locate the files you want to view. You can also use 7-Zip to archive and compress files in order to easily transfer them to another storage device or create an email attachment to forward to the intended recipient.
The process of opening 7Z files with Mac OS X is slightly different since Mac OS X does not have any built-in capabilities for handling this type of file extension. Therefore you can use a third party software application such as Unarchiver which is offered as a free download. Once you have downloaded and installed the program, you can click on any 7Z file, and the program will automatically open it for you.
For the Linux operating system you can open 7Z files using the P7Zip program. Once you have P7Zip installed, you should be able to right click on the program if you are using Gnome and then choose Extract Here from the drop-down menu. The software will then proceed to unpack the 7Z files and open them for you to view.
