What Archive Formats Can Mac Open Without Extra Software?
macOS Archive Utility opens standard ZIP files and a limited set of compressed formats natively. Apple Finder decompresses ZIP archives with a double click, creating a folder in the same directory as the original file. Archive Utility does not support RAR, 7Z, ISO, CAB, or TAR.XZ files. Password protected ZIP archives also fail silently in Archive Utility, producing an empty folder with no error message. UnFox extracts all 36 formats that Archive Utility cannot handle, including password protected archives with clear error feedback when credentials are incorrect.
How Do You Extract a ZIP File on Mac with UnFox?
UnFox extracts ZIP files in three steps. Open UnFox and drag the archive onto the drop zone, or use the File menu and press Cmd+O. UnFox displays the archive contents, total uncompressed size, and file count before extraction begins. Click "Extract Here" to unpack into the same directory, or choose "Extract To..." to select a custom destination. A real time progress bar tracks each file as it unpacks, and a Dock badge shows the percentage. UnFox validates available disk space before starting extraction and cancels cleanly if the drive is too full.
How Do You Open RAR and 7Z Files on Mac?
RAR and 7Z archives require third party software on Mac because Apple does not include native support for either format. UnFox reads RAR4 and RAR5 archives, including multi volume and password protected RAR files. 7Z support relies on libarchive compiled with liblzma, which handles LZMA2 compression at full speed on both Intel and Apple Silicon Macs. The extraction workflow is identical to ZIP: drag the file onto UnFox, review the contents, and click Extract.
What Settings Control the Extraction Behavior?
UnFox provides six configurable options in Preferences. "Create subfolder" wraps extracted files in a new folder named after the archive. "Reveal in Finder" opens the output location when extraction completes. "Delete archive after extraction" removes the original compressed file automatically. "Overwrite existing files" replaces duplicates without prompting. "Auto extract" starts unpacking as soon as you open an archive. "Quit after extraction" closes UnFox once the last file is written. All settings default to non destructive values so nothing is lost accidentally.
Does UnFox Collect Any Data During Extraction?
UnFox makes zero network calls. The app contains no analytics SDK, no crash reporter, no telemetry endpoint, and no advertising framework. Every file operation runs locally on your Mac. The app does not phone home on launch, does not check for updates over the network, and does not transmit file names or metadata to any server. UnFox was designed and developed in Switzerland with privacy as a core engineering constraint, not a marketing claim.
ZIP, RAR, and 7Z are three of the 36 formats UnFox handles natively. The full list includes ISO disc images, DMG files, TAR variants, and app packages like APK and IPA. all supported archive extraction formats for Mac, iPhone, and iPad.
UnFox installs in seconds from the Mac App Store and requires no configuration. download UnFox free for Mac from the App Store.