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Written 30 Aug 2026. This is a how-to, not a product card.

Unpack a zip you already have

After SSH works, unpack a zip with unzip so files come out of a zip you already have. You don't need a zip desktop app for this.

Pack files into one archive packs a folder. Shrink one file shrinks one file to .gz. Tonight you unpack a zip you already have. Always use -d so zip contents don't scatter in home. You don't need a zip desktop app, FileZilla, WinZip, 7-Zip, or a NAS for this.

Skip until SSH already works

SSH from the couch should already get you a prompt. If you need a folder packed first, that is pack files into one archive. If you need to shrink one file, that is shrink one file. Skip this whole note if you only need a house share other computers browse. That is a folder the house can open.

What this is

unzip unpacks a zip. unzip -l lists zip names. unzip -d unpacks files into a folder you name. Always use -d so contents don't scatter in home. Without -d, unzip dumps files into the folder you sit in.

It is not packing a folder. That is pack files into one archive. It is not shrinking one file. That is shrink one file. It is not a download from a web address. That is download a file onto the computer.

Unpack a practice zip in home

SSH in.

Make sure home is where you sit:

pwd

You want a path that ends in your login name.

If the path is wrong, run this:

cd ~

Make a tiny practice zip in home only. Tonight's zip is only this practice zip, not zip of whole home:

echo hello > ~/unzip-me.txt

zip -j ~/unzip-me.zip ~/unzip-me.txt

-j means junk paths. The zip stores unzip-me.txt without the full path. Zip here is only a practice zip maker so unzip has something trusted to unpack. Skip zip of whole home. Skip zip as the job. That job is pack files into a zip a laptop can open.

List zip names. Don't unpack yet:

unzip -l ~/unzip-me.zip

You want unzip-me.txt in that list. Make a throwaway folder so zip contents don't scatter in home:

mkdir -p ~/unpack-zip

unzip -d ~/unpack-zip ~/unzip-me.zip

ls ~/unpack-zip

You want unzip-me.txt inside unpack-zip.

If zip or unzip says command not found, install both, then try again:

sudo apt install zip unzip

That install is not a reason to use a zip desktop app.

Skip unzip without -d for this practice. That command scatters files in home.

Skip unzip -o overwrite for this practice.

Skip unzip of files under /etc, SSH folders, whole home, huge ISOs, and random internet zips you don't trust.

When you are done practicing, throw away the practice files. Careful delete only. That is delete a file carefully:

rm -i ~/unzip-me.txt ~/unzip-me.zip

rm -i ~/unpack-zip/unzip-me.txt

Delete practice folders the same careful way after they are empty. Skip rm -rf.

Useful extras, still home only

Skip files under /etc, SSH folders, or paths you don't own. Practice only in home.

Want a zip test before unpack?

unzip -t ~/unzip-me.zip

You want no errors. Test stays in home. It does not unpack files.

Skip creating zip of whole home. Tonight's zip is only ~/unzip-me.zip.

Skip 7z, rar, unrar, bzip2, xz, and zstd for this practice. Skip FileZilla, WinZip, and 7-Zip GUI for this practice. unzip -d is enough for this unpack. Skip NAS. This unpack does not need a NAS.

Skip unzip of untrusted internet zips for this practice. Curl a zip you chose is download a file onto the computer, then this note only if you already trust that zip.

Keep SSH on the house network: keep the computer on the house network. Don't forward port 22.

What this is not

This is not packing a folder. That is pack files into one archive. It is not shrinking one file. That is shrink one file. It is not nested folders as a tree. That is see folders as a tree.

What next

Just unpacked and want nested folders as a tree? See folders as a tree. Need a folder packed first? Pack files into one archive.

Skip

Sources

Debian: unzip. Ubuntu: unzip. Practice zip maker only: Debian: zip, Ubuntu: zip. Official man pages only. For the login, see SSH from the couch. For pack, see pack files into one archive. For shrink, see shrink one file.

Also on this topic

SSH from the couchType commands on the computer from your laptop, on the house network. Password login first. Don't open this to the internet. Pack files into one archiveAfter SSH works, tar packs files into one archive so you can copy one file instead of a folder. You don't need a zip app for this. Shrink one fileAfter SSH works, gzip shrinks one file so a copy is smaller. You don't need a zip app for this. Download a file onto the computerAfter SSH works, curl pulls one file from a web address so the computer has the file without a USB stick. You don't need a browser on the computer for this. Browse folders then copy one fileAfter SSH works, sftp browses folders so you can pick a file and copy it. You don't need FileZilla or a NAS for this. Copy a file to the computer from your laptopAfter SSH works, scp moves one file without a USB stick. You don't need a NAS for this. Sync files so only changes copyAfter SSH works, rsync syncs files so a copy only moves what changed. You don't need a NAS sync app for this. Split a file into smaller piecesAfter SSH works, split cuts one file into smaller pieces so a paste or copy fits size limits. You don't need a zip app for this. See folders as a treeAfter SSH works, tree shows nested folders so you can see what is inside without clicking around. You don't need a file manager for this. Delete a file carefullyAfter SSH works, delete one file with rm -i. Ask first. Skip rm -rf. You don't need a NAS for this. Turn off password login once the key worksAfter the laptop key login is boring, tell SSH to stop accepting the password. The key is how you get in. A keyboard on the computer is the backup now. Keep the computer on the house networkSSH and Pi-hole belong on the house network. Skip this if you never opened the router settings. Don't forward port 22.