Mac archive apps compared: non-English names in ZIPs
Updated
To send a ZIP to Windows users without garbled names, use Haemil Explorer's "Compress to ZIP File" (free), which writes names as composed (NFC) UTF-8 and leaves out Mac-only files, or Keka, which writes names as UTF-8. To extract a ZIP from Windows whose names come out garbled, use The Unarchiver (free) or Keka, which detect the encoding, or Haemil's "Extract All" (free), which reads Korean Windows (CP949) names.
To look inside a ZIP without extracting it, use BetterZip ($35) or Haemil Pro (14-day trial). As of version 0.9.35 Haemil also extracts 7z, rar and tar formats but makes ZIP only, so if you need to make many archive formats, a dedicated archive app is the better choice. Prices were checked on each official site on October 23, 2026.
Why switch apps at all
Non-English names in a ZIP made on a Mac can come out garbled on Windows, or with Korean letters split apart. There are two causes: a Windows tool reads UTF-8 names with a local code page such as CP949, or decomposed (NFD) names go into the ZIP as they are. The guide on garbled ZIP file names explains both.
We have not tested whether ZIPs made by the current macOS still break this way every time. People have reported it for years, and an Apple Community answer from February 2026 says the split letters still happen.
Comparison table (as of October 23, 2026)
"Could not confirm" means we did not find it in official material, not that the feature is missing.
| macOS built-in | Keka | The Unarchiver | BetterZip 6 | Haemil Explorer | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Price | Free (part of macOS) | Free from the website, $6.49 on the App Store | Free | $35, no subscription | Making and extracting free, browsing is Pro |
| Makes ZIPs | Yes | Yes | No (extract only) | Yes | Yes |
| Non-English names when making | Can break (current version not tested) | UTF-8 only (NFC conversion not confirmed) | Not applicable | Could not confirm | NFC UTF-8 with the UTF-8 flag |
| Extracting Windows ZIPs (CP949 names) | Could not confirm | Detects automatically (a user report says it sometimes asks you to pick) | Detects automatically, can be changed in settings | Pick the encoding when opening | Reads non-UTF-8 names as CP949 |
| Browse without extracting | No (double-click extracts) | Could not confirm | Could not confirm | Yes | Yes (Pro) |
macOS built-in compression
Right-click files in Finder and choose Compress to make a ZIP, and double-click a ZIP to extract it into the same folder. There is nothing to install and it is free. It has no way to browse a ZIP without extracting it.
If the person you send it to sees garbled names, make the ZIP again with one of the apps below.
Keka
Keka makes and extracts archives. It is free from its website and $6.49 on the App Store.
When making archives it writes names as UTF-8 only, and a request to choose other encodings is open on GitHub (#1302). When extracting it detects the encoding, and a user report says it sometimes asks you to pick one when it cannot tell right away (#375). We could not confirm whether it converts decomposed (NFD) names to composed (NFC) form.
The Unarchiver
A free app that only extracts. It detects file name encodings automatically, and you can change the encoding in its settings when it guesses wrong. It is a good first try when a ZIP from Windows shows garbled names. It does not make ZIPs.
BetterZip 6
BetterZip lets you browse archives without extracting them and make new ones. It costs $35 with no subscription. You can pick the encoding when opening an archive. We could not confirm how it writes non-English names when making one.
Opening ZIPs inside a file manager
ForkLift 4, Commander One (ZIP only in the free tier), Path Finder and QSpace (Enhanced Archiver extension) also open archives like folders. We could not confirm how they handle non-English name encodings. Their prices and other features are in the dual-pane file manager comparison.
Haemil Explorer: right in the file explorer
Select files, right-click and choose "Compress to ZIP File". Names go in as composed (NFC) UTF-8 with the UTF-8 flag set, and Mac-only files such as .DS_Store, ._* and __MACOSX stay out. The file names on your Mac do not change. It is free.
"Extract All" reads any name that is not valid UTF-8 as CP949, so Korean names come out right, and it skips entries whose names point outside the extraction folder. It is free.
Double-click a ZIP to open it like a folder without extracting it, look at files in the preview pane or Quick Look (Space), and take out only what you need. This is a Pro feature, and you can try it free for the first 14 days.
Since version 0.9.35 it also extracts password-protected zip, 7z, rar, tar, tar.gz, tar.bz2 and tar.xz. This is free. It makes ZIP only. ZIPs made with Haemil have not been tested in every Windows archive tool.
Who each one suits
If you often send ZIPs to Windows users and want to make them right where you pick the files, Haemil Explorer (free) fits.
If you only need to extract ZIPs from Windows, The Unarchiver (free) is enough.
If you often browse inside archives and want to choose the encoding yourself when opening them, BetterZip fits.
If you need to make many archive formats, check the supported formats of a dedicated archive app such as Keka or BetterZip.
Other archive apps, such as Bandizip and WinArchiver, were not checked this time and are left out.
Sources (checked October 23, 2026)
macOS zip and unzip: support.apple.com/guide/mac-help/zip-and-unzip-files-and-folders-on-mac-mchlp2528/mac. Split Korean letters: discussionskorea.apple.com/thread/256236528. A Korean community report of garbled names: clien.net/service/board/cm_mac/16570448
Keka: keka.io/en, apps.apple.com/us/app/keka/id470158793, github.com/aonez/Keka/issues/1302, github.com/aonez/Keka/issues/375
The Unarchiver: theunarchiver.com, apps.apple.com/us/app/the-unarchiver/id425424353
BetterZip: macitbetter.com, macitbetter.com/blog/BetterZip-4.2.2
ZIP browsing in file managers: binarynights.com, commander-one.com/manual, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Path_Finder, qspace.awehunt.com/en-us/pricing.html
Haemil Explorer: the app at version 0.9.35 and its documentation (checked October 24, 2026).
FAQ
Will a ZIP made with the built-in Mac compression always break on Windows?
Not always. People have reported garbled names for years, but it depends on the tool on the receiving end and the form of the names. If the recipient sees garbled names, make the ZIP again with a tool that writes NFC UTF-8 names.
Can Haemil Explorer extract 7z or rar?
Yes, since version 0.9.35. It extracts 7z, rar, tar, tar.gz, tar.bz2, tar.xz and password-protected zip. It makes ZIP only.
Is making ZIPs a Pro feature?
No. Making ZIPs and Extract All are free. Only browsing a ZIP without extracting it is Pro, and you can try Pro free for the first 14 days.