The world of the internet is vast. It is virtually (pun intended) impossible to measure its size. The advent of broadband services like buyinternetcable.com has added to the vastness of the internet. Today’s technology is capable of performing multiple tasks. It could be as simple as storing multiple documents in ZIP files or as complex as coding.
Speaking of ZIP files, how many ZIP extractors can you name? Just kidding. The point is that there are dozens of unzipping tools available on the internet. After all, ZIP files are second only to portable document format (PDF) when it comes to sharing files.
Manual extraction of compressed files is easy due to the availability of tools like 7-Zip and WinZip. But what to do if the said file is stored on Google Drive? Keep reading to find out more.
Extracting Compressed Files from Cloud Storage like Google Drive
Picture this, one of your colleagues has shared a compressed folder with you in cloud storage, say Google Drive. Of course, you will have to download the file to extract it. You will then have to decompress the file manually. There’s no denying that the whole process consumes a lot of time. Also, what if your colleague asks you to re-upload the decompressed file to the cloud storage?
That does bring back some memories. But the good news is that you no longer have to worry about downloading a ZIP file before converting it. Now, you can easily Unzip compressed files with an extension called ZIP Extractor. It is a great tool to extract ZIP files from Google Drive. The best part, you can save yourself the hassle of downloading files.
How to Install ZIP Extractor?
ZIP Extractor is the ultimate time-saver for those who spend hours working on cloud storage. It is a great extension that lets you easily bypass the inconvenience of downloading compressed files from your cloud storage. Below is the step-by-step process to extract compressed files using ZIP Extractor.
- Go to the Chrome Web Store on your desktop
- Search for the ZIP Extractor extension
- Alternatively, you can find the tool under the Connect apps to drive category on your Google Drive
- Install the extension
You are done with the installation process.
Extract Compressed Files from Google Drive Using ZIP Extractor
After you have installed ZIP Extractor, now it’s time to use it.
Select the file you want to decompress from your Google Drive. Right-click on the file. Click on Open with ZIP Extractor. Permit the extension to access Google Drive. A screen will pop up. The extension will ask you to select the files you want to extract. It is important to note that ZIP Extractor selects all files by default. So, if you want to extract a particular file, you’ll have to manually select it.
Click on Extract Now and wait for the process to complete. It is up to you to change the destination folder for the decompressed files. After the extraction is complete, you can view the results using the ZIP Extractor interface. Moreover, you can share decompressed files or extract new ones. It is worth mentioning that you will need a good bandwidth speed to extract files in your Google Drive.
The Best File Compression Tools to Use In 2024
Compression tools come in handy when it comes to storing large files in your computer system. These utilities offer multiple benefits. You can reduce the size limit of your files, send them via email, or store them in a remote cloud server with compression tools. That said, here are the best file compression tools to try in 2024:
WinZip
This name sounds familiar, doesn’t it? WinZip is perhaps the best file compression tool in the world today. It arrived on the market 30 years ago and safe to say it is still going strong to this day. There’s no denying that WinZip offers great value for money. It comes with advanced management tools, split large files, and supports different file formats.
Additional features include cloud support, backup options, and support for touchscreen devices. These benefits plus much more make WinZip the best choice when it comes to compression tools. The only downside, however, is that it is a premium service. That means you can’t use WinZip for free. The software can cost you around $30.
WinRAR
Few compression tools are on par with WinZip. WinRAR is among those utilities. Thanks to its RAR format, WinRAR can perform compression at multiple levels. Moreover, it is the only utility of its kind that can create RAR archives. Other compression tools are only able to extract them. The best thing about WinRAR is that it supports multiple platforms.
Other features include theme creation, great encryption speed, and a pleasant interface. Beginners should not worry about the wide range of options in WinRAR because comes with a wizard mode. You can check if the software is for you by trying its trial version. It is worth mentioning that the premium version of WinRAR costs more or less the same as WinZip.
7-Zip
There are multiple reasons to try 7-Zip. One of them is that it is free to use. This utility comes with a compressed file format called 7z. The tool boasts the ability to compress up to 16 billion gigabytes. That’s impressive. However, the tremendous compression rate comes with a downside and that is slow speed. Moreover, not many users will find the interface attractive but if you just want to work then 7-Zip is the tool for you.
Zip Archiver
Zip Archiver is another free utility that comes with great benefits. The first one is that is a free compression tool. The second one is that it has a decent interface. Moreover, it supports the drag and drop option as well as multiple file formats. However, a major drawback is that you cannot use Zip Archiver on any other platform except Windows.