Convert CAB to ZIP online and open Windows driver and update cabinets on any device. Upload files up to 20GB and download the converted result in a few clicks.
Drag & Drop your CAB file here
CAB files, up to 20GB
Files stay private.
Automatically deleted after 24 hours.
Link
20GB upload limit.
4.8/5
Trusted for 1,826,856+ conversions
HOW IT WORKS
Three steps, no account, nothing to install.
01
Upload your CAB file
Drag and drop a .cab file, such as a driver package or an update cabinet, or select it from your device.
02
Convert to ZIP
Keep ZIP as the output format and start. The cabinet is unpacked and its files are packed into a ZIP, with the backslash paths turned into real folders.
03
Download the ZIP
Download one ZIP with every file from the cabinet. It opens in Windows Explorer, macOS Finder and any unzip tool.
CAB
CAB (Microsoft Cabinet) is the Windows archive format behind driver packages, Windows updates and many older software installers. A cabinet holds files stored uncompressed or compressed with MSZIP, LZX or Quantum, and it can carry a digital signature. Windows Explorer opens .cab files.
ZIP
ZIP is the most widely supported archive format. It bundles files and folders into one package, usually compressed with Deflate, and opens with built-in tools on Windows, macOS and most Linux desktops.
FILE FORMATS
SOURCE
Microsoft Cabinet files pack drivers, Windows updates and installer payloads with MSZIP, LZX or Quantum compression. Windows uses them for driver packages and update cabinets. Windows Explorer can open them, but macOS, phones and many web tools can't, and the backslash paths inside need converting into real folders.
TARGET
Phil Katz introduced ZIP in 1989, and it is now built into every major operating system. A ZIP compresses each file separately, usually with Deflate, so you can open a single file without unpacking the rest. Compression is weaker than 7z or xz, but nothing beats ZIP for opening anywhere.
| Feature | CAB | ZIP |
|---|---|---|
| Developed by | Microsoft | PKWARE (Phil Katz) |
| File extension | .cab | .zip |
| Compression | MSZIP, LZX or Quantum | Deflate (per file) |
| Packs | Files with folder paths | Files and folders |
| Opens without extra software | Windows only | Yes, Windows, macOS, phones |
| Best for | Drivers and Windows updates | Sharing with anyone |
USE CASES
Practical workflows where CAB to ZIP conversion is useful.
Inspect a driver package before installing
Drivers from the Microsoft Update Catalog download as .cab files. Convert one to see its .inf, .sys and .cat files in a ZIP before you install anything.
Install a driver by hand
Unzip the converted cabinet, then point Device Manager's 'Browse my computer for drivers' at the folder that holds the .inf file.
Open a CAB file on a Mac
Finder does not open .cab files with a double-click, but it opens ZIP files. Convert the cabinet and browse its files without installing a CAB extractor.
See what a Windows update cabinet holds
Check which files and manifests an update cabinet carries. Delta-compressed payloads (PSF/express) come out as the raw files stored inside, not as rebuilt system files.
Look inside a firmware cabinet
Firmware from the Linux Vendor Firmware Service (LVFS) ships as .cab files. Convert one to read its metainfo XML and get the firmware image in a ZIP.
Recover files from an old installer CD
Retro PC collectors can convert a standalone cabinet from an old installer CD and get its files as a ZIP. Parts of a multi-cabinet set and InstallShield data1.cab files are not supported.
Audit a vendor cabinet before rollout
IT admins can unpack a cabinet from a vendor and review every file, folder and date in the ZIP before deploying it to managed PCs.
Send cabinet contents to a colleague
Share the files from a .cab as a ZIP, which opens with built-in tools on Windows and macOS, so the recipient needs no CAB extractor.
Unpack cabinets made by third-party tools
Cabinets built with non-Microsoft tools convert too, including ones written with small data blocks that some extractors reject.
Use cabinet files in ZIP-only tools
Scripts, build pipelines and upload forms that accept ZIP but not CAB can work with the converted file, which keeps the cabinet's folder paths.
SUPPORTED FILES
Microsoft Cabinet files with every standard compression are supported.
Signed driver packages.
Update payloads delivered as .cab.
Including cabinets that mix them.
Kept in the ZIP.
Not supported, and recognized with a message.
TROUBLESHOOTING
These explain most surprises with cabinets.
01
Multi-part cabinets need every part and can't be converted one at a time.
02
InstallShield uses its own format under the .cab name. Use an InstallShield extractor.
03
Only .cab files convert. Extract the .cab from the package first.
04
Windows file attributes aren't kept in the ZIP.
05
Delta-compressed update payloads are delivered as stored, not rebuilt into full files.
06
A truncated cabinet can't be read fully. Download it again.
7-Zip, WinRAR, Keka and The Unarchiver can unpack and repack archives once installed. dragdropdo converts CAB to ZIP in the browser, on any device.
| What matters | dragdropdo | 7-Zip and Desktop Archivers |
|---|---|---|
| Nothing to install | ✓Yes. Runs in any modern browser. | ~Yes, a download, unless your system already reads the format. |
| Works on phones and tablets | ✓Yes. Desktop, Android, iPhone and iPad. | ~Phone apps open archives but rarely repack them. |
| Batch conversion | ✓Yes. Add many files and download one ZIP. | ~7-Zip can with the command line. |
| Share finished files | ✓Yes. Send a unique link from the result page. | ~You upload and share the files yourself. |
| Pricing | ✓Free with daily limits. $2.99 or $6.99 passes for unlimited use, no monthly plan. | ~Free (7-Zip, Keka) to paid (WinRAR). |
| Password-protecting the archive | ✓Not in the converter. | ~Yes. 7-Zip and WinRAR can encrypt archives. |
Other tools use different pricing, limits and workflows. This comparison describes dragdropdo's own features without assuming every other tool works the same way.
1.8M+
Files converted
and counting
4.8
Average rating
from our users
~4s
Avg. conversion
per file
0
Files kept
Auto-delete in 24h
WHY DRAGDROPDO
Convert CAB to ZIP in your browser, with nothing to install and nothing kept after 24 hours.
Private by default
Files are encrypted in transit and deleted from our servers automatically after 24 hours.
No install required
Convert in any modern browser on Windows, Mac, Linux, Android, iPhone or iPad. No app and no sign-up wall.
Big files and batches
Upload files up to 20GB each, add several at once, and download the results one by one or as a ZIP.
Share & download
Save finished files to your device or pass them on with a share link from the result page.
FAQ
Answers to common questions about dragdropdo's CAB to ZIP converter.
