ZArchiver

Review by eFreeware

ZArchiver's most distinctive trait is what it does without: the developer says the app holds no internet permission, so it cannot pass anything on to other services.

The app is an archive manager from ZDevs. It creates, extracts, views and edits compressed files, and it also handles application backups stored as archives. It is free, carries no ads and offers no in-app purchases, which is unusual for a tool with this range of formats.

Who is it for? Anyone who regularly deals with compressed files on a phone: people who receive archives by email, download ROMs or disk images, keep app backups, or move large folders between devices. It is also for the tinkerer who wants to look inside a package before committing to extracting it. The numbers suggest a lot of people already do this: over 100 million installs and a 4.2 average across more than 1.4 million ratings.

Creating archives in the formats you actually need

On the creation side, ZArchiver supports 7z, zip, bzip2, gzip, XZ, lz4, tar and zst. That covers the common cases and a few specialist ones: tar and gzip for people who work with Linux-style bundles, zstd for those who want newer compression, and 7z for the best ratio among the widely supported options. You pick the files you want to pack, choose Compress from the menu, set the options and confirm.

Password protection works in both directions. You can create an archive with a password and unpack one that has been encrypted, provided you know the password. The developer's own note is worth repeating: the password belongs to the archive, not to your phone, so a device lock code will not open it.

Editing is where the app goes beyond pure extraction. Zip, 7zip, tar, apk and mtz archives can be modified in place, with files added or removed. That is handy for anyone who needs to adjust a package without rebuilding it from scratch, though the exact set of editable formats is narrower than the list of formats the app can read.

Unpacking almost anything you throw at it

The extraction list is the longest part of the feature set: 7z, zip, rar, rar5, bzip2, gzip, XZ, iso, tar, arj, cab, lzh, lha, lzma, xar, tgz, tbz, Z, deb, rpm, zipx, mtz, chm, dmg, cpio, cramfs, img, wim, ecm, lzip, zst, egg and alz. In practice that means most archives you encounter on a phone, from a simple zip attachment to a disk image or a Debian package, can be opened without hunting for a second tool.

You do not always have to extract to read. The app can display the contents of an archive, which is useful when you only want one file out of a large bundle. Partial extraction goes further: you can pull out selected items rather than unpacking everything.

Split archives are covered too. Multi-part 7z and rar sets can be handled, with rar supported for extraction only, and the app recognizes the usual naming patterns such as 7z.001, zip.001, part1.rar and z01. If you download large files that arrive in pieces, this is the part that saves you from stitching them together by hand.

Backups, APKs and mail attachments

ZArchiver also manages application backups kept in archives, and it can install APK and OBB files straight from a backup. That is a practical route for anyone who keeps older versions of apps or game data around and wants to restore them without a separate installer.

Archives that arrive as mail attachments can be opened directly from the mail app, which removes a step from the usual download-then-find-then-open routine. Compressed single files can be opened as well, not just full archives.

The app is also built to handle filenames with national characters through UTF-8 and UTF-16 support, so archives created on other systems with non-Latin names should display correctly rather than turning into garbled text.

What to expect on first launch

Setup is minimal. The developer notes that on Android 9 and later, small files under 10MB can be started directly, and that direct opening is preferred where possible instead of extracting to a temporary folder first. That is a workflow detail rather than a setting you have to configure, but it explains why small archives can feel quicker to open than the size suggests.

The interface is described as simple and functional, and the app supports multithreading, which matters on phones with several processor cores. The recent update added an E-Ink theme, drag and drop of files in and out of the app, SUI support and general speed improvements to file operations.

The two operations most people need are straightforward. To compress, select the files by tapping the icons to the left of the names, tap the first selected file, choose Compress and set the options. To extract, tap the archive name and pick an option such as Extract Here.

Where ZArchiver fits in a phone toolkit

This is a tool for people who treat their phone as a working device rather than just a viewer. If you receive archives, manage backups, install APKs from stored copies or handle disk images, the breadth of formats means you are unlikely to need anything else. The absence of ads and purchases keeps the experience uncluttered, and the lack of internet permission is a genuine plus for anyone uneasy about utilities that phone home.

It is less obviously aimed at someone who only occasionally opens a zip. Those users may find the format lists and options more than they need, though nothing about the app forces them to use the advanced parts.

The developer invites feedback by email or in comments, which suggests the app is actively shaped by its users.

A dependable choice for archive work on Android

ZArchiver earns a recommendation for anyone who needs real archive handling on a phone. It covers creation, extraction, viewing, editing, passwords, split archives, backups and APK installation, and it does so without ads, purchases or internet access.

The caveats are the ones the app itself sets: rar is extraction-only for multi-part sets, editing is limited to a handful of formats, and the smallest files benefit most from the direct-opening behavior on Android 9 and later. None of that undermines the core purpose.

If your phone regularly encounters compressed files, this is a sensible thing to have installed. If you rarely touch archives, it will sit unused, but it costs nothing and asks for nothing in return.

What's new in version 1.0.10

- speedup file operations; - added SUI support; - added E-Ink theme; - added drag and drop file in or out from ZA; - other fixes and improvements.