Free Online ZIP Viewer (No Signup)
Also opens DWG, DXF, STEP, IGES, IFC, SKP, STL, OBJ, GLB, FBX, 3DM and other 3D/CAD files. Drop any file on the viewer.
Works directly in Chrome, Firefox, Safari, and Edge
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What Is a ZIP File?
A .zip is a container: the files inside it are compressed and listed in a directory at the end of the archive. CAD and 3D files travel this way because a model rarely comes alone. A SketchUp or Blender file is zipped with its textures, an OBJ with its MTL, a shapefile with its .dbf and .prj, a PCB fabrication package with every Gerber layer, and a project handoff with the drawings of each discipline.
This viewer reads the archive’s directory, chooses the entry most likely to be the subject and opens it with the matching reader. Models rank first (SketchUp, Rhino, STEP, IFC, DWG, glTF, FBX, OBJ, STL, Blender, Revit, Archicad and the other formats the universal 3D viewer opens). An archive with several candidates opens the first and offers the rest from a “1 of N” picker. An archive holding an Illustrator file, a PDF, a Word document, a spreadsheet or a picture and no model opens that document instead.
.rar, .7z and .tar archives (including .tgz, .tar.gz, .tar.bz2 and .tar.xz) open the same way, through a RAR, 7-Zip and TAR reader that runs in your browser. The model inside can then be measured, shared and exported like any model opened directly.
Who Uses ZIP Files?
Anyone who receives a model by email or a download link: architects and engineers opening a consultant’s drawing set, designers checking a marketplace download before buying or importing it, makers with a zipped STL or OBJ, PCB designers sent a fabrication package, and support teams asked “does this file open?” by a customer. It is also the quickest way to look inside an archive on a Chromebook, a tablet or a phone, where there is no unzip tool.
Common Use Cases
- Open a zipped 3D model or CAD drawing without unzipping it
- Check what a downloaded model pack contains before importing it
- View a RAR or 7-Zip archive of drawings on a device with no archive tool
- Open a Gerber fabrication package as the whole board
- Preview a zipped shapefile, point cloud or SketchUp project
- Pick between the several models inside one archive
Features
Opens the Archive, Shows the Model
Drop a .zip and the model, drawing or document inside it opens. There is no unzipping step.
ZIP, RAR, 7-Zip and TAR
RAR, 7z, tar, tgz, tar.gz, tar.bz2 and tar.xz open the same way as a ZIP, and so does a single gzipped model.
Picks the Right Entry
Models rank by format, neutral CAD and BIM first. An archive holding a model and an export of it opens the export.
A Picker for the Rest
An archive with several models opens the first and lists the others in a "1 of N" picker.
Models From Many Formats
SketchUp, Rhino, STEP, IFC, DWG, glTF, FBX, OBJ, STL, Blender, Revit, Archicad and more open from inside an archive.
Companion Files Come Along
Textures for a 3ds Max scene, the .dbf and .prj of a shapefile and every layer of a Gerber package travel with the model.
Gerber Packages as a Board
A PCB fabrication zip opens as the whole board, stacked in fabrication order.
Documents When There Is No Model
A zip of an Illustrator file, a PDF, a Word document, a spreadsheet or a picture opens that document.
Nested Archives
An archive inside an archive opens the inner one.
Protected Archives Say So
A password-protected entry is set aside, and the viewer names the problem when nothing else can open.
Nothing Is Uploaded
The archive is read on your device. It leaves only if you choose to share a link.
Export and Share
The model inside exports like any other model, and a share link or an embed puts it on another page.
Compatibility & Format Notes
The viewer reads the archive directory first and decompresses only the entry it opens. Entries that are password-protected are set aside: the viewer opens another entry when there is one and otherwise says the archive is protected. Junk entries such as macOS resource folders and thumbnail caches are skipped when choosing.
Companion files travel with the model where its reader uses them: textures for a 3ds Max scene, the .dbf and .prj beside a shapefile, and every layer of a Gerber package. An archive inside an archive opens the inner one. A mesh format that keeps its materials in a separate file (an OBJ’s .mtl, a glTF’s .bin) opens as geometry with default materials.
An archive with no model, drawing or document in it opens as a text sheet when it holds plain text or data files, and otherwise shows a notice about what it contains, so the answer to “why doesn’t it open” is on the screen.
Embed on Your Website
Add this viewer to your own site with a single line of HTML. Click Embed in the toolbar to generate an embed code, or use the snippet below with your own file URL.
Your Files Stay on Your Computer
Your ZIP files are parsed entirely in your browser. Nothing is uploaded, stored, or shared unless you explicitly click the Share button. Shared files are hosted for 90 days then deleted.
Frequently Asked Questions
▶How do I open a ZIP file with a 3D model in it?
Drop the .zip on this page. The viewer opens the archive, picks the model inside and displays it. When the archive holds several models, a picker at the bottom of the viewer switches between them.
▶Can it open RAR and 7z files?
Yes. RAR, 7-Zip and TAR archives (.tgz, .tar.gz, .tar.bz2 and .tar.xz included) open the same way as a ZIP, and so does a single gzipped model such as model.stl.gz.
▶Which file inside the archive does it open?
The most likely model, ranked by format: neutral CAD and BIM formats first, then meshes, then native application files. When an archive holds both a model and an export of it, the export wins. An archive with no model opens its drawing or document, and the picker offers everything else.
▶What happens with a password-protected archive?
The contents of a protected archive cannot be read without the password. The viewer opens any unprotected entry and otherwise tells you the archive is protected. Unzip it with the password and drop the model file itself.
▶Why does my OBJ show without its materials?
An OBJ keeps its materials in a separate .mtl file and its textures in image files. The viewer opens the OBJ from the archive as geometry with default materials. To keep the materials, export the model as GLB, which carries them inside one file.
▶Is this ZIP viewer really free?
Yes, completely free. No signup, no watermarks, no file size limits on the viewer (the optional share-link feature has a 100 MB upload cap). Built by Innerscene as a tool for architects, engineers, and designers.
▶Are my files uploaded to a server?
No. All parsing, rendering, and conversion runs in your browser: nothing is uploaded, stored, or transmitted by default. The Share button is the only feature that uploads a file, and only when you explicitly click it.
▶Can I convert to another format?
Yes. The model inside the archive exports like any model opened directly: STL, OBJ, GLB, 3MF, DXF, DWG, USDZ or STEP where the geometry allows, and PDF, PNG or JPG of the view. Click Export in the toolbar.
▶Can I embed this viewer on my own site?
Yes. Click Embed in the toolbar to generate a one-line <iframe> snippet you can paste into any HTML page. You can choose whether the embed shows the viewer’s toolbar.