How to Repair Corrupted Zip Files | AI-Powered

Tracy King updated on Aug 28, 2024 to File Recovery | How-to Articles

If you cannot open Zip files, encounter invalid Zip files, or even corrupted Zip files on your PC, don't worry. This article offers reliable methods to help you easily repair corrupted zip files and restore all valuable corrupted files with ease. Keep reading to find more detailed information about zip repair!

Don't worry if you have no clue how to repair corrupted Zip files or restore invalid .zip files. In this article, we'll offer you effective methods to help you restore and repair corrupted, damaged, or invalid Zip files with ease.

If the invalid ZIP files or folders are invisible on your computer, go through this passage to bring all lost ZIP files back and repair them so they work again. If you just cannot open nor use the ZIP file or folder with an error message warning that the compressed or zipped folder or file is invalid, as shown below, refer to the following solutions and get the best ZIP file repair solution now.

# 1. Repair Damaged Zip Files with Zip Repair Software

🔺Applies to: Repair unopened or corrupted ZIP files on Windows PC or external storage devices.

The easiest way to restore corrupted ZIP files or folders is to run a reliable zip repair software - EaseUS Fixo Document Repair and immediately restore them with ease. EaseU Fixo is able to recover all damaged files, such as .zip files or other data, with only three simple steps.

If the ZIP files are on your computer or storage devices, but you cannot open them with a decompression tool, stay calm. Something is wrong with your ZIP files. When you receive the error message that tells you the Windows compressed folder/file is invalid, it's highly corrupted, infected by a virus, or unopenable by the current version of decompression tools.

Let's check how to repair corrupted files with EaseUS Fixo:

Step 1. Download and launch EaseUS Fixo File Repair on your PC. Choose "File Repair" to repair corrupted Zip files. Click "Add Files" to select corrupted Zip files browsing from your folders.

Step 2. To repair multiple Zip files at once, you can click the "Repair All" button. If you want to repair a single one, move your pointer to the targeted file and choose "Repair". You can also preview the Zip file by clicking the eye icon.

Step 3. Click "Save" to save a selected file. You can also select "Save All" to save all the repaired files. After that, choose "View Repaired" to see the saving destination of the repaired Zip files.

Besides supporting the repair of corrupted Zip files, the professional file repair software also enables you to perform video repair and photo repair on various storage devices. If you think EaseUS Fixo is helpful, share this passage on social media and let more users know us!

 

# 2. Open Corrupted Zip Files by Reinstalling Decompression Tools

🔺Applies to: Resolve ZIP program or compression tools not working issue while opening ZIP files and folders.

Step 1. On a Windows PC, type apps and features in the search bar and click to open it.

Step 2. On the Screen & features column, scroll down to locate your zip tools or compression software.

Step 3. Click on the ZIP software and select "Uninstall".

Wait for the uninstalling process to finish.

Step 4. Reinstall the uninstalled ZIP program on your PC and reuse it to reopen and access your ZIP files.

# 3. Perform Zip Corrupt Repair by Removing Viruses

🔺Applies to: Resolve ZIP files invalid due to virus infection issue.

Sometimes, when the computer or storage devices get infected by viruses or malware, you'll not be able to open the ZIP file or folder from the infected devices. Virus or malware may encrypt your ZIP file. 

If you have installed antivirus software, run it to clear all existing viruses or hibernating malware. If you don't have one, turning on the Windows Defender on your computer can also help.

Here are the details of turning on Windows Defender:

First. Turn on Windows Defender Firewall

1. Open Control Panel > click "Windows Defender Firewall" > Turn Windows Defender Firewall on or off.

2. Check the boxes "Turn on Windows Defender Firewall" and click "OK" to confirm.

Next. Turn On Virus & threat Protection in Windows Defender

1. Right-click the Windows icon and select "Settings" > Click "Update and Security".

2. On the Windows Security section, click "Open Windows Defender Security Center".

3. Click "Virus & threat protection" on the new window > Go to Virus & threat protection settings.

4. Turn on these three options: Real-time protection, Cloud-delivered protection, and Automatic sample submission.

Last. Remove Existing Virus from PC by Using Virus & threat Protection

1. Go to "Settings" > "Update & Security" > "Windows Security" > Click "Virus & threat protection".

2. In the "Threat history" section, click "Scan now" to scan for viruses on your computer.

After this, you can reuse your ZIP tools or compression programs to decompress the ZIP file or folder to access the files again.

# 4. Repair Broken Zip Files with the Command Prompt

🔺Applies to: Repair corrupted ZIP files on Windows PC.

Step 1. Open Command Prompt as an administrator:

  • For Windows 10/8.1 users: Right-click Start > Click Command Prompt (Admin).
  • For Windows7/8/Vista/XP users: Click Start > All Programs > Accessories > Right-click Command Prompt > Run as administrator.

Step 2. Change directories to the folder where the corrupted ZIP files were.

Step 3. Type: "C:\Program Files\WinZip\wzzip" -yf zipfile.zip and hit Enter.

You can also use a real ZIP file name to replace zipfile.zip so to find corrupted or invalid ZIP files. After following these steps, you'll be able to open the corrupted or invalid .zip files.

# 5. Fix ZIP File Corruption with WinRAR

🔺Applies to: Repair invalid or corrupted ZIP files with third-party zip software.

Sometimes, when your compressed files are corrupted, you can repair them with a third-party ZIP program. WinRAR, 7-ZIP, DiskInternal ZIP Repair, etc., can all help.

Here, we'll take WinRAR as an example to show you how to repair corrupted or invalid ZIP files, getting all files out efficiently:

Step 1. Download and install the latest version of WinRAR on your computer.

Step 2. Open WinRAR and locate the invalid or corrupted ZIP file.

Step 3. Select the ZIP file, click "Tools" in the toolbar, and click "Repair archive". 

Step 4. Click "Browse" to choose the location to save the repaired archive file and click "OK" to confirm.

Step 5. Wait for the repair process to complete and click "Close" to finish.

Step 6. Double-click the repaired ZIP archive, open it in WinRAR, and click "Extract to" in the toolbar at the top.

Step 7. Choose the destination folder where you'd like to extract the files.

Tick the "Keep broken files" option under the Miscellaneous section and click "OK" to start extracting your files from WinRAR.

If this software cannot work, go back to the first method and repair corrupted Zip files/folders with EaseUS Fixo. >>Back to Method 1

# 6. Redownload and Recover Corrupted Zip Files

🔺Applies to: Resolve downloaded ZIP files not working or invalid issues.

Sometimes, the ZIP file would be removed or inaccessible on a Windows PC due to virus infection or other errors. The best way to fix this issue is to re-download the invalid ZIP file or restore the files with the help of professional file recovery software.

Follow either option listed here to bring your ZIP files back:

If you downloaded a ZIP file and it was not openable by using any Windows compression tools or third-party zipping software, your best choice is to redownload a new file from the Internet.

Step 1. Delete the old invalid ZIP file from your computer.

Step 2. Launch your browser and open the site where you used to download the ZIP file. 

Step 3. Find the ZIP file, re-download it, and save it to another secure location on your PC. 

After this, you may use unzip software or tools to access valuable files from the ZIP file.

Conclusion

On this page, we collected 6 ways to help you restore corrupted, lost, or repair corrupted, invalid ZIP files on Windows PCs and external storage devices. Don't forget to download EaseUS Fixo Document Repair on the PC to avoid Zip corruption issues.

If you have more questions about ZIP files, check the quick answers below to see if we have your desired answers.

1. How do I fix an invalid zip file?

Answer: First, you can re-download the ZIP file if it was downloaded from the internet. Next, you can run a file recovery software to restore the ZIP file if it's not showing up or has disappeared. Next, you can re-install an unzip tool to open the ZIP file or run a third-party compression software like WinRAR to repair the invalid ZIP file.

2. Why is my ZIP file corrupted?

Answer: Virus infection, incomplete downloading of the ZIP file, incomplete compression or disturbed compression of the ZIP file, or even corruption of compression tools may all cause the .zip file to be invalid or corrupted.

3. How do I open an incomplete ZIP file?

Answer: First, you need to use a compatible UnZIP program, such as WinRAR, 7-ZIP, etc., to open the incomplete ZIP file. Then, extract files from the ZIP file or folder and save files to a secure location on your local drive. 

If you have more questions about ZIP files or other file repair issues, use the Search option on our website (https://www.easeus.com) or go to the File-Recovery page to find your best answers.