How to Install and Run 7-Zip on macOS

This guide provides a straightforward walkthrough on how to install and run 7-Zip on macOS. While 7-Zip is traditionally a Windows application, an official command-line version is available for macOS alongside third-party package managers. Below, you will find the quickest installation methods using Homebrew or the official standalone binary, followed by essential commands to compress and extract files.

Method 1: Install Using Homebrew (Recommended)

The easiest way to install and maintain 7-Zip on a Mac is via Homebrew, the macOS package manager.

Open the Terminal app from Applications > Utilities.

If you do not have Homebrew installed, paste the following command and press Enter:

/bin/bash -c "$(curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/Homebrew/install/HEAD/install.sh)"

Once Homebrew is ready, install the official 7-Zip package:
```
brew install sevenzip
```
Verify the installation:
```
7z
```

Method 2: Manual Installation from the Official Binary

If you prefer not to use Homebrew, you can install the standalone macOS console version directly from 7-Zip.

Go to the official 7-Zip download page and download the macOS console version (available for both x86-64 and ARM64 / Apple Silicon).
Open Terminal and navigate to your Downloads directory:
```
cd ~/Downloads
```
Extract the downloaded .tar.xz file (replace the filename with your downloaded version):
```
tar -xf 7z2301-mac.tar.xz
```
Move the executable binary to your local bin directory to run it from anywhere:
```
sudo mv 7zz /usr/local/bin/7z
```
Grant execution permissions if prompted:
```
sudo chmod +x /usr/local/bin/7z
```

How to Run 7-Zip on macOS

7-Zip runs through the macOS Terminal using simple command-line arguments.

1. Extract an Archive

To extract an archive while preserving its original directory structure, use the x command:

7z x filename.7z

To extract directly to a specific folder:

7z x filename.7z -o/path/to/destination/

2. Create a Compressed Archive

To compress files or folders into a .7z archive, use the a (add) command:

7z a archive_name.7z /path/to/folder_or_file

You can also specify other formats such as .zip:

7z a archive_name.zip file1.txt file2.txt

3. List Archive Contents

To view the contents of an archive without extracting it, use the l command:

7z l filename.7z

4. Create a Password-Protected Archive

To encrypt an archive with a password:

7z a secured.7z /path/to/folder -pYourPassword -mhe=on

The -mhe=on flag also encrypts the file names inside the archive.

Graphical Alternative for macOS

Because the official 7-Zip release on macOS operates exclusively in the command line, users who prefer a graphical interface (GUI) can install Keka, an open-source macOS file archiver powered by the 7-Zip core engine. Keka supports drag-and-drop compression and extraction for .7z and various other formats.