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ZIP Inspector

Last updated: April 2026

Open a ZIP in the browser, inspect the file tree, preview text and images, review compression stats, and extract only the selected files.

500MB browser parse
Tree view
Text and image preview
Extract selected
1

Inspect a ZIP before extracting it

0 filesTotal files in the archive.
0 BTotal uncompressed size.
0 BTotal compressed size.
0%Overall compression ratio.

Archive tree

Preview panel

You might also need

You might also need

ZIP Compressor Create a ZIP file from multiple files or folders in your browser with visible file lists, compression levels, progress feedback, and a clean download flow. File Diff Viewer Compare two file versions side by side with line numbers, add and remove highlights, scroll sync, and export-ready HTML output directly in the browser.

ZIP Inspector is built for the moment before extraction, when you need to know what is actually inside an archive before you unpack it blindly. That can mean checking whether a download contains the files you expected, reviewing the structure of a code or content bundle, or selectively extracting only the items you care about.

The page reads the ZIP in the browser with JSZip and builds a collapsible tree that shows folders, files, sizes, compressed sizes, dates, and rough type cues. Text-based files can open in a syntax-highlighted preview panel, images can render as thumbnails, and other formats still expose their metadata so you can decide whether they are worth extracting.

Selective extraction is the other key part of the workflow. Instead of unpacking the whole archive and then cleaning up the noise, you can tick only the files you want and generate a new ZIP containing just that subset.

This is especially useful for large mixed archives, client handoff packages, theme bundles, exported websites, and any ZIP where the first job is inspection rather than immediate extraction.

What to Expect

Inspect a ZIP file before extraction with a browser-side tree, text and image previews, file stats, and selective re-zipping for chosen entries.

Browse Power Tools

Best for

  • Checking the contents of a ZIP before unpacking it to disk.
  • Previewing text or image files inside a mixed archive quickly.
  • Extracting only the useful subset from a larger delivery ZIP.
  • Reviewing sizes and compression ratios before passing an archive on.

Not ideal for

  • Encrypted archives or unsupported compressed formats outside standard ZIP handling.
  • Editing files inside the archive and writing them back in place.
  • Workflows where you need to fully unpack a huge archive to the filesystem anyway.

What this tool keeps

  • A browser-side inspection pass before you decide what to extract.
  • Tree structure, size stats, and quick previews for common text and image types.
  • Selective re-zipping so you can keep only the files you checked.

What may need cleanup

  • Manual selection if the archive has many similar files with ambiguous names.
  • A follow-up local extraction step for binary formats that cannot be previewed meaningfully.
  • Patience on very large archives where browser-side parsing still takes time.

Common errors

  • Assuming every file type inside a ZIP will have a rich preview instead of metadata-only info.
  • Expecting non-ZIP archive types to work through the same parser.
  • Selecting folders mentally but forgetting that extraction happens from the checked file entries.

Example use cases

  • Checking a client delivery ZIP before unpacking dozens of mixed files.
  • Previewing code or config files inside a theme or website export.
  • Pulling only the images or docs you need from a larger archive.
  • Reviewing overall compression before re-sharing an archive with someone else.

Sample input

A ZIP containing folders with markdown files, JSON config, JPG images, and a few binary assets, loaded directly in the browser.

Sample output

A collapsible file tree with icons, dates, uncompressed and compressed sizes, text or image previews on click, and a new ZIP download containing only the checked files.

Who this is for

  • Developers, content teams, and operations staff inspecting archives before extraction.
  • Anyone who wants to preview and subset a ZIP without unpacking everything.
  • Users handling mixed client handoff packages, exports, or downloaded bundles.

Why selective extraction helps

Many archives contain documentation, duplicates, source folders, and output files mixed together. Selective extraction lets you keep only the part you actually need instead of unpacking everything and cleaning up later.

What the preview panel is for

The preview panel reduces guesswork. A filename alone may not tell you whether a script, JSON file, markdown note, or image is the right one. Opening a quick preview in the browser is often faster than full extraction.

Related guides

How to inspect a ZIP file before extracting everything