How to Fix ‘Unable to Expand Zip File’ Error on Mac

The “Unable to Expand Zip File” error on Mac indicates that macOS can’t unzip a file, often due to corruption or incomplete data. This error appears when a file is partially downloaded or contains broken data, stopping it from being processed correctly. The most common cause is a corrupted file from interrupted downloads, but it can also result from permission issues or unsupported formats, such as password-protected or encrypted zips.

In this article, we will discuss several ways to solve this error.

1. Unzip File Using Terminal

Using Terminal to unzip a file bypasses the macOS Archive Utility, allowing manual extraction. This method works for files the default utility can’t handle, such as corrupted or encrypted zips. The unzip command forces the system to try extraction, providing clearer error messages or decompressing the file, which helps identify issues with permissions or file corruption.

1. Press Command + Space to open Spotlight. Type Terminal and press Enter.

   

2. Run the unzip command on your ZIP file:

   unzip filename.zip

   (Drag the ZIP file into Terminal to insert the directory path).

3. Press Enter to unzip the file.

   

4. If you encounter errors like “No such directory,” use the cd command to navigate to the correct directory:

   cd Desktop
   
   unzip timer.zip

   

2. Use a Decompression Utility Software

Switching to a tool like The Unarchiver offers a more reliable solution than the default Mac utility. These programs handle more archive formats and better manage corrupted, encrypted, or partially downloaded zip files, addressing the limitations of macOS’s built-in Archive Utility.

1. Open the Mac App Store from the Dock.

   

2. Search and install “Stuffit Expander.”
3. Open “Stuffit Expander” from the Dock or Spotlight (Command + Space).
4. Select the ZIP file to unzip.

   

5. Choose a destination folder and unzip the file.