.z UNIX-compressed file
Archives & packages
| MIME type | application/x-compress |
|---|---|
| Description | UNIX-compressed file |
| Category | Archives & packages |
| Signature (magic bytes) | 1F 9D (..) |
Frequently asked questions
What is a .z file?
A .z file is a “UNIX-compressed file” (MIME type application/x-compress).
How do I open a .z file?
With an archive tool such as 7-Zip (Windows) or the built-in archive manager on macOS or Linux. On the command line, use tar, unzip or 7z depending on the format.
How can you tell a genuine .z file?
By the bytes at the start of the file, the signature (magic bytes): 1F 9D (..). On Linux and macOS, file --mime-type example.z checks the real type regardless of the extension.
Which MIME type belongs to .z?
The MIME type is application/x-compress. In the Apache web server: AddType application/x-compress .z; in nginx: types { application/x-compress z; }.