How to Unzip Files on Linux (Gnome, KDE, Terminal)

How to Unzip Files on Linux

by Heinz Tschabitscher | Jun 7, 2026 | Useful Tech

When all you have is a ZIP file, you do have all the files, of course — they’re just packed into that archive for now. They are not stuck there, though, just waiting for the right way out. Find out here how to unzip files on Linux ⤓ using Gnome Files, KDE’s Ark, and the terminal command line.

How to Unzip Files on Linux (Gnome, KDE, Terminal)

Using Gnome

Time needed: 2 minutes

To extract files from a ZIP file using Gnome Files on Linux:

  1. Open Gnome Files.

    Here’s how: Press Super (usually the Windows or Command key depending on your keyboard), start typing files and open the Files app.

  2. Double-click the ZIP file you want to unzip.

    Here’s what will happen: Without further question or confirmation, Files will extract all files from the ZIP file.
    One file: If the ZIP file contains only one file, it will be extracted to the current directory.
    Multiple files: If the ZIP file holds more than one file, they will all be extracted to a new folder named like the ZIP file.
    Directories: Directories inside the ZIP file will be respected, of course.

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Using KDE

To unzip files using the KDE Plasma desktop:

  1. Make sure the Ark compression app is installed.
    No Ark: Without Ark, the KDE Dolphin file manager cannot unzip files; you can turn to unzipping using a terminal prompt, of course; see below.
  2. Open the KDE Dolphin file browser.
  3. Navigate to the folder that contains the ZIP file you want to extract.
  4. Double-click the file to open it in Ark.
    Not Ark: if the ZIP file does not open in Ark, you can click on it with the right mouse button and select Open With | Ark from the context menu.
  5. Select Extract in Ark.
    Extract some: To extract only certain files, select the files in the Ark file list; see below.
  6. Choose the location where you want to put the extracted files.
  7. Now pick options for extracting.
    New folder: Check Extraction into subfolder: to have all files placed in a new folder.
    Keeping directories: Select Preserve paths when extracting to keep the folder structure contained in the ZIP file.
  8. Click Extract.

Zip, zip, compress: How to Create ZIP Files on Linux (Gnome, KDE, Terminal)

Using a Terminal

To extract from a ZIP file on the Linux terminal command prompt:

  1. Open a terminal app.
    Here’s which: Open Console on Gnome, for example, Konsole on KDE or Xterm, of course.
  2. Navigate to the directory that contains the ZIP file to be extracted.
    Here’s how: Use the cd  command followed by the path to the directory.
    Example: cd ~/Downloads will take you to your account’s Downloads folder (the tilde ~ stands in for your home directory).
  3. Type unzip -u <filename.zip>.
    Here’s why: The option -u makes unzip keep newer versions of files if they already exist; a file from the ZIP file will only overwrite an already existing file if it is newer.
    Individual files: You can also specify files (or types of files) to extract; see below.
    Examples:
    unzip -u ladedu.zip extracts all files from the file ladedu.zip to the current directory, asking to overwrite older files and ignoring new files already present.
    unzip -ou ladedu extracts all files from ladedu.zip except files already present and newer without asking before overwriting files.
  4. Press Enter.
    Their word: Ubuntu include information on unzip in its man page.

Also on a Mac: How to Unzip Files on a Mac

How to Unzip Files on Linux: FAQ

How do I extract only one file from a ZIP?

Using Ark

To extract just select files from a ZIP file using Ark:

  1. Open the ZIP file in Ark; see above.
  2. Highlight the individual documents you want to extract.
    Here’s how: Hold the Ctrl key while you click to toggle inclusion of a file in the selection and hold Shift to select a range.
    Highlight the files you want to extract in Ark
  3. Click Extract in the toolbar.
    Ark keyboard shortcut: You can press Ctrl E to start extracting.
  4. Check Selected files only is selected under Extract.
    Optional: Pick a folder where the extracted files should appear and choose whether Ark should create a new folder (Extract into subfolder:).
  5. Click Extract.
    Extracting select documents from a ZIP file in Ark

Using the Command Line

To extract select files from a ZIP archive on the Linux command line:

  1. Run unzip -l <archive.zip> on the command line.
    Here’s why: This command lists the files found in the ZIP file.
  2. Now run unzip <archive.zip> <files> to unzip only the files listed under <files>; separate files with white space.
    Wildcards: You can use wildcards like, most typically, * to stand in for anything.
    Examples:
    unzip ladedu first.txt second.txt will extract the files fist.txt and second.txt from the ZIP file ladedu.zip.
    unzip ladedu *.txt will extract all TXT files from the archive.
    Using unzip to extract select files from a ZIP archive on Linux

(Tested with Gnome 49–50, Ark 25.12 and unzip, first published December 2025, last updated June 2026)

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