How can I open a .7z file that I got in my e-mail?
.7z files are compressed archive files similar to zip files. They originate from the Windows archiving software 7-Zip, and can be opened by both 7-Zip and a variety of third party software.
7-Zip is archival software for Microsoft Windows. Archival software is able to compress and decompress data (such as one or more files) into one archive file that can easily be saved somewhere, or transmitted to someone else. The most common form of file archiving that you are probably familiar with is a .zip file. The idea behind a .7z file is the same as that which is behind a .zip file. Read “Zip up multiple files into one” for further explanation of archival software.
7-Zip files can be opened with the 7-Zip program. 7-Zip is free open-source software, which means there is no price tag!
Since 7-Zip is open source, a number of programs are available for operating systems besides Windows. Mac users can compress and decompress .7z files with EZ 7z (the official site is here, but was unresponsive at the time of writing). A list of other Mac, Linux, and Windows programs for opening .7z files can be found in the “Support at Present” section of Wikipedia’s 7z article.
