Free ZIP sample files
The most common archive format: many files compressed individually in one container. Download valid ZIP test files in 10 exact sizes, from 1 KB to 10 MB, each with a checksum.
- Extension
- .zip
- MIME type
- application/zip
- Kind
- Binary
- Category
- Archives
ZIP files by size
Every file below is a valid ZIP archive file of exactly the stated size. Open a file's page for its checksum and contents. ZIP files cannot be displayed by a browser, so their pages show the file's details instead of a preview.
| File | Size | Contents | Download |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 KB ZIP samplesample-zip-1kb.zip | 1 KB1,024 bytes | Entries: 2 | Download ZIP |
| 5 KB ZIP samplesample-zip-5kb.zip | 5 KB5,120 bytes | Entries: 4 | Download ZIP |
| 10 KB ZIP samplesample-zip-10kb.zip | 10 KB10,240 bytes | Entries: 4 | Download ZIP |
| 25 KB ZIP samplesample-zip-25kb.zip | 25 KB25,600 bytes | Entries: 4 | Download ZIP |
| 50 KB ZIP samplesample-zip-50kb.zip | 50 KB51,200 bytes | Entries: 4 | Download ZIP |
| 100 KB ZIP samplesample-zip-100kb.zip | 100 KB102,400 bytes | Entries: 4 | Download ZIP |
| 500 KB ZIP samplesample-zip-500kb.zip | 500 KB512,000 bytes | Entries: 4 | Download ZIP |
| 1 MB ZIP samplesample-zip-1mb.zip | 1 MB1,048,576 bytes | Entries: 4 | Download ZIP |
| 5 MB ZIP samplesample-zip-5mb.zip | 5 MB5,242,880 bytes | Entries: 4 | Download ZIP |
| 10 MB ZIP samplesample-zip-10mb.zip | 10 MB10,485,760 bytes | Entries: 4 | Download ZIP |
What is a ZIP file?
A ZIP archive stores files one after another, each compressed separately, followed by a central directory that lists every entry. Readers find the directory by scanning backwards from the end of the file.
Because entries are independent, a single file can be extracted without reading the rest. The format also underlies DOCX, XLSX, EPUB, JAR and APK files.
How to recognise a ZIP file
| Extension | .zip |
|---|---|
| MIME type | application/zip |
| Also seen as | application/x-zip-compressed |
| Specification | PKWARE APPNOTE |
| Compression | Deflate or none per entry; others are optional |
| Directory | At the end of the file |
| Large files | ZIP64 extensions beyond 4 GB or 65,535 entries |
What to test for
These are the behaviours that most often go wrong when software handles ZIP files.
- An archive can expand to far more than its own size. Enforce limits on total extracted bytes and entry count to guard against zip bombs.
- Entry names may contain "../". Extracting without validating paths lets an archive write outside the target folder.
- Windows reports ZIP uploads as application/x-zip-compressed, so allow-lists need both MIME types.
Strengths of ZIP
- Built into Windows, macOS and Linux desktops.
- Any single file can be extracted without reading the rest of the archive.
Limitations of ZIP
- Compresses each file separately, so it is less efficient than tar with gzip for many small files.
- File-name encoding and Unix permissions are handled inconsistently.
Typical uses of ZIP test files
- Testing archive uploads and extraction
- Checking limits on extracted size and entry count
- Testing bulk import features
Software that opens ZIP
- Windows Explorer, macOS Archive Utility, 7-Zip
- zip and unzip command-line tools
- Standard libraries in most programming languages
Specifications
Related
ZIP sample files: questions
- What is inside the sample ZIP files?
- A README, a small CSV file, a small JSON file and a payload.bin entry of pseudo-random bytes that sets the archive size. The smallest archives hold fewer entries.
- Are the archives encrypted?
- No. They are not encrypted or password-protected and do not use ZIP64.
- What is the MIME type of a ZIP file?
- The MIME type is application/zip. You will also meet application/x-zip-compressed in practice. The file extension is .zip.
- Is a sample ZIP file the same as a dummy or example ZIP file?
- Yes. Sample, test, dummy and example ZIP files are different names for the same thing: a ZIP file with known contents that stands in for a real one. Any file on this page will do wherever a tutorial or a test plan asks for a dummy ZIP file.