Extract Commands (x, e)

The extract commands extract files from archives. 7-Zip provides two extraction commands:

x - eXtract files with full paths
e - Extract files without directory structure

Syntax

7z x [<switches>...] <archive_name> [<file_names>...] [@listfile]
7z e [<switches>...] <archive_name> [<file_names>...] [@listfile]

Difference Between x and e

x (eXtract with paths)

Extracts files with full directory structure preserved.Example: file/data.txt → output/file/data.txt

e (Extract)

Extracts all files to the same directory, ignoring paths.Example: file/data.txt → output/data.txt

Common Options

archive_name

string

required

Name of the archive to extract. 7-Zip auto-detects archive type.

file_names

string

Specific files or patterns to extract. If omitted, extracts all files.Example: *.txt or documents/report.pdf

-o{Directory}

string

Set output directory. No space between -o and the path.Example: -o/home/user/output or -oC:\Output

-p{Password}

string

Provide password for encrypted archives. Omit password to be prompted.Example: -pMyPassword or -p (prompts)

-y

flag

Assume Yes on all queries (overwrite without prompting).

-ao{a|s|t|u}

string

Set overwrite mode:

a - Overwrite all existing files
s - Skip existing files
t - Auto-rename extracting file
u - Auto-rename existing file

Example: -aoa (overwrite all)

-t{Type}

string

Set archive type (usually auto-detected).Example: -t7z or -tzip

-r

flag

Recurse subdirectories (enabled by default for archives).

-x{Pattern}

string

Exclude files by pattern.Example: -x!*.tmp -x!*.bak

-i{Pattern}

string

Include only files matching pattern.Example: -i!*.txt

-so

flag

Write data to stdout (for piping).

-si

flag

Read archive from stdin.

-spe

flag

Eliminate duplication of root folder for extract command.

-spf

flag

Use fully qualified file paths (include drive letter on Windows).

-snh

flag

Store hard links as links (extract as links, not copies).

-snl

flag

Store symbolic links as links (extract as links, not file contents).

-sni

flag

Store NT security information (Windows).

-sns

flag

Store NTFS alternate streams (Windows).

Examples

Extract archive with full paths

7z x archive.7z

Output:

7-Zip 23.01 (x64) : Copyright (c) 1999-2023 Igor Pavlov : 2023-06-20

Scanning the drive for archives:
1 file, 23456 bytes (23 KiB)

Extracting archive: archive.7z
--
Path = archive.7z
Type = 7z
Physical Size = 23456
Headers Size = 234
Method = LZMA2:24
Solid = -
Blocks = 1

Everything is Ok

Folders: 3
Files: 12
Size:       45678
Compressed: 23456

Extract to specific directory

7z x archive.7z -o/home/user/output

Extract without directory structure

7z e archive.7z

All files extracted to current directory, paths discarded.

Extract password-protected archive

7z x -p archive.7z

Prompts:

Enter password (will not be echoed):

Or provide password directly:

7z x -pMyPassword archive.7z

Extract specific files

7z x archive.7z readme.txt license.txt

Extract files by pattern

7z x archive.7z *.txt -r

Extract and overwrite without prompting

7z x archive.7z -y

Extract and skip existing files

7z x archive.7z -aos

Extract and auto-rename new files

7z x archive.7z -aot

Creates: file.txt, file_1.txt, file_2.txt, etc.

Extract excluding certain files

7z x archive.7z -x!*.tmp -x!*.bak

Extract only specific file types

7z x archive.7z -i!*.jpg -i!*.png

Extract to stdout (piping)

7z x archive.7z -so > output.txt

Extract multi-volume archive

7z x archive.7z.001

Automatically finds and uses all volumes (.001, .002, .003, etc.)

Extract nested archives

7z x archive.tar.gz -so | tar -x

Test before extracting

7z t archive.7z && 7z x archive.7z

Advanced Examples

Extract with progress to stderr

7z x archive.7z -bsp1 2>&1 | grep -v "^$"

Extract preserving timestamps

7z x archive.7z

(Timestamps preserved by default)

Extract case-sensitive (Linux)

7z x archive.7z -ssc

Extract from stdin

cat archive.7z | 7z x -si

Extract multiple archives

for f in *.7z; do 7z x "$f" -o"${f%.7z}"; done

Extract with full paths including drive (Windows)

7z x archive.7z -spf

Overwrite Modes

The -ao switch controls behavior when extracted files already exist:

Mode	Switch	Behavior
Overwrite All	`-aoa`	Replace all existing files
Skip	`-aos`	Keep existing files, skip extraction
Auto-rename (extracting)	`-aot`	Rename newly extracted files
Auto-rename (existing)	`-aou`	Rename existing files

Interactive Prompt (default)

Without -ao or -y, 7-Zip prompts for each file:

file.txt already exists. Overwrite? (Y)es / (N)o / (A)lways / (S)kip all / A(u)to rename all / (Q)uit?

Working with Different Archive Types

ZIP archives

7z x archive.zip

TAR.GZ archives

7z x archive.tar.gz -so | 7z x -si -ttar

Or extract in one step:

7z x archive.tar.gz && 7z x archive.tar

RAR archives

7z x archive.rar

ISO images

7z x image.iso -o/mnt/iso

Split archives

7z x archive.zip.001

The x command is recommended for most use cases as it preserves the directory structure. Use e only when you specifically want all files in one directory.

Using e (extract without paths) can cause file name conflicts if the archive contains files with the same name in different directories. 7-Zip will prompt to overwrite unless -y or -ao is used.

To preview archive contents before extracting, use the list command:

7z l archive.7z

Exit Codes

Code	Meaning
0	Success (no errors)
1	Warning (non-fatal error)
2	Fatal error
7	Command line error
8	Not enough memory

List Command (l) - View archive contents
Test Command (t) - Test archive integrity
Add Command (a) - Create archives

Getting Started

Command Reference

Compression Methods

Archive Formats

Advanced Usage

​Syntax

​Difference Between x and e

x (eXtract with paths)

e (Extract)

​Common Options

​Examples

​Extract archive with full paths

​Extract to specific directory

​Extract without directory structure

​Extract password-protected archive

​Extract specific files

​Extract files by pattern

​Extract and overwrite without prompting

​Extract and skip existing files

​Extract and auto-rename new files

​Extract excluding certain files

​Extract only specific file types

​Extract to stdout (piping)

​Extract multi-volume archive

​Extract nested archives

​Test before extracting

​Advanced Examples

​Extract with progress to stderr

​Extract preserving timestamps

​Extract case-sensitive (Linux)

​Extract from stdin

​Extract multiple archives

​Extract with full paths including drive (Windows)

​Overwrite Modes

​Interactive Prompt (default)

​Working with Different Archive Types

​ZIP archives

​TAR.GZ archives

​RAR archives

​ISO images

​Split archives

​Exit Codes

​Related Commands

Build docs developers (and LLMs) love

Syntax

Difference Between x and e

Common Options

Examples

Extract archive with full paths

Extract to specific directory

Extract without directory structure

Extract password-protected archive

Extract specific files

Extract files by pattern

Extract and overwrite without prompting

Extract and skip existing files

Extract and auto-rename new files

Extract excluding certain files

Extract only specific file types

Extract to stdout (piping)

Extract multi-volume archive

Extract nested archives

Test before extracting

Advanced Examples

Extract with progress to stderr

Extract preserving timestamps

Extract case-sensitive (Linux)

Extract from stdin

Extract multiple archives

Extract with full paths including drive (Windows)

Overwrite Modes

Interactive Prompt (default)

Working with Different Archive Types

ZIP archives

TAR.GZ archives

RAR archives

ISO images

Split archives

Exit Codes

Related Commands