Quick Overview
- Slow storage like old hard drives can make unzipping take longer
- SSDs are usually much faster
- CPU needs to process the data, so it matters too
- Big files or certain formats take more time
- Antivirus might scan the files while unzipping
- Not enough RAM can slow things down
- Low disk space makes things worse
- Too many apps running in the background can affect it
- Some unzip tools are faster than others
- Upgrading parts or using a better tool might help
{tocify} $title={Table of Contents}
When unzipping a file feels really slow, it is usually because of a few common reasons. Some users on Reddit shared what they noticed, and here is a quick breakdown of what actually affects the speed.
Slow storage will slow things down
If the file is on an old hard drive, unzipping will take longer. Those older drives read and write data slowly. SSDs can unzip way faster because they are just quicker at moving files around.
If you are unzipping to an external drive or a network folder, that can make it worse too. Drives over USB or Wi-Fi are usually not as fast.
CPU matters more than people think
Unzipping is not just about copying files. The CPU has to decompress the data. If the processor is old or already busy with other stuff, things will slow down.
Most newer CPUs are fast enough for this, but if the computer is pretty old, it might take a while.
Big files and certain formats take longer
If the file is huge, it takes more time. That is kind of expected.
The format also changes things. Some formats like .zipx or .rar use stronger compression, so the file is smaller, but it takes longer to extract because there is more work involved.
Antivirus might be checking every file
Some antivirus programs scan files while they are being unzipped. That means there is extra stuff going on in the background, which slows it down a bit, especially on older systems.
Low RAM makes the system use the hard drive more
If the computer does not have much RAM, it cannot keep everything in memory. So it uses the drive instead, and that is slower. More RAM helps because it lets the system handle more of the process in memory.
Not enough space on the drive
If the drive is almost full, unzipping will be slower. There needs to be some free space to handle temporary files during extraction. Try freeing up some space if things feel stuck.
Background apps can make it worse
If the system is already doing other stuff like copying files, downloading things, or running heavy apps, unzipping will take longer. Try closing a few programs first.
Some tools unzip faster than others
Not all unzipping programs are the same. Tools like 7-Zip or WinRAR are often faster than the built-in one in Windows. It depends on what type of file you are extracting and how your system is set up.
What can you do to make it faster?
If unzipping feels slow, try using an SSD, close apps you are not using, or maybe add more RAM. You can also try switching to a different unzip tool. That alone might speed things up.
So yeah, it is usually a mix of things. Sometimes it is the drive, sometimes the CPU, and sometimes the software. Even small changes can help a lot.
Source: Reddit