No password ZIP in Finder
macOS Compress cannot set a password. Most people end up googling “password protected zip mac” and opening Terminal.
100% free · open source GPL-3.0 · WhereTeam
Free Unzip, RAR & 7z extractor for Mac
that tells you what went wrong
OpenZip is a free open-source macOS archiver. Create password-protected ZIP without Terminal, extract RAR/7z, strip Mac junk for Windows, and get errors you can act on — not empty folders.
macOS 11+ · Apple silicon & Intel · No ads · No account · Files never leave your Mac
Guides: Password ZIP on Mac · RAR extractor for Mac
Why people search for a better Mac unzip app
Silent failure on extract
A protected or odd archive often becomes an empty folder — with no message that the password was wrong or the format needs another tool.
Windows gets junk files
Mac-made zips ship .DS_Store and __MACOSX. Recipients on Windows think your archive is broken.
Features of this free Mac archiver
Password ZIP without Terminal
Compress with password from the app or Finder. Optional “opens on Windows without extra software?” picks ZipCrypto vs strong AES-256.
Errors that make sense
Wrong password, damaged file, or format not ready yet — each with a clear next step. Built for people tired of silent fails.
Windows-clean by default
Strips .DS_Store, __MACOSX, and resource-fork junk so your free zip app behaves well across platforms.
Finder integration
Right-click Compress, Compress with Password, or Extract Here. Double-click ZIP/RAR/7z to extract beside the file.
Supported formats (unzip, RAR, 7z, more)
| Action | Formats |
|---|---|
| Extract / unzip | ZIP (ZipCrypto + AES), tar, gz, bz2, xz, 7z, RAR |
| Extract + password | ZIP always · 7z / RAR with bundled 7zz helper in releases |
| Create archive | ZIP · optional AES-256 or Windows ZipCrypto |
OpenZip vs other Mac unzip apps
| Need | OpenZip | Typical free unzip | Finder Compress |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | Free forever (GPL) | Free / freemium | Built-in |
| Password ZIP create | Yes | Varies | No |
| RAR / 7z extract | Yes | Often yes | Limited |
| Clear wrong-password errors | Designed for this | Mixed | Poor |
| Strip Mac junk for Windows | Default on | Optional / off | No |
| Open source | GPL-3.0 | Sometimes | No |
Honest take: use what fits you. OpenZip is for people who want free + open + clear failures + clean Windows zips.
Frequently asked questions
Is OpenZip free?
Yes. Free forever under GPL-3.0. No ads, no account, no telemetry.
How do I create a password-protected ZIP on Mac?
Download OpenZip → select files → Compress with Password (or Finder right-click). See the guide: Password ZIP on Mac.
Can it open RAR files on Mac for free?
Yes. OpenZip is a free RAR extractor for Mac. Password-protected RAR works in release builds that include the 7zz helper. Guide: RAR extractor for Mac.
Is it safe? Does it upload my files?
Archives are processed on your Mac only. Source is public on GitHub so anyone can audit it.
Why does macOS block the download the first time?
Early releases are not notarized yet. Right-click the app → Open → confirm. Notarized DMG is planned.
Where do I get support?
Open an issue on GitHub Issues. Contributions welcome.
Download free Unzip for Mac
Binary release (fastest)
Grab the free build from GitHub Releases.
- Download OpenZip-*-macos.zip
- Unzip the archive
- Right-click OpenZip.app → Open (first launch)
- Enable the Finder extension in System Settings
Direct link updates automatically to the latest macOS zip when available.
Build from source
Always free under GPL-3.0.
git clone https://github.com/whereteam/openzip.git
cd openzip
./scripts/build-vendor.sh
./scripts/fetch-7zz.sh
xcodegen generate
xcodebuild -scheme OpenZip -configuration Release buildFree, open, private
- GPL-3.0 — free to use, study, share, and improve
- No telemetry — your archives stay on your machine
- WhereTeam — built in the open on GitHub