Extract a ZIP Archive with unzip
Unzip files into a specific folder and see exactly what was extracted.
Run unzip archive.zip -d destination-folder to extract everything into that folder.
01Command
Command
$ unzip ~/Downloads/archive.zip -d ~/Documents/Extracted02What it does
The -d flag keeps the files out of your current directory — the folder is created if it does not exist. Use unzip -l archive.zip first to list the contents without extracting, which is the safe habit for zips from unknown sources. If non-ASCII filenames come out garbled, unzip -O UTF-8 forces the encoding.
03Risk
!Warning: Existing files with the same names are skipped or prompt — use -o to overwrite deliberately, not by reflex.
04Undo
✓No undo needed — this command does not change persistent state.
05Sources
- unzip – Extract files from a ZIP archiveEvidence: unzip -d dir extracts the archive into the named directory, creating it if needed; unzip -l lists contents without extracting.
Last verified: 2026-09-18 · Category: Files & Folders
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