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# Error 0x80004005: Unspecified error

Have you downloaded a zip file and are unable to extract it? You may be seeing the error message **"Error 0x80004005: Unspecified error"**. This is a common issue on Windows where the operating system blocks a downloaded file as a security measure.
In this article, we explain step by step how to resolve this, so you can get back to work quickly.


## Solution 1: Unblock the file in Windows
This is the most common cause and can be resolved quickly.

1. Open **File Explorer** and navigate to the location of the zip file.
2. **Right-click** on the zip file.
3. Select **Properties**.
4. At the bottom of the **General** tab, you will see the message *"This file came from another computer…"* with an **Unblock** checkbox.
5. Check the **Unblock** checkbox.
6. Click **OK**.
7. Try extracting the zip file again.



## Solution 2: Use 7-Zip
If unblocking doesn't work, or if you don't see the option, use 7-Zip — a free program that handles zip files better than the built-in Windows function.

1. Download 7-Zip from [7-zip.org](https://7-zip.org) and install it.
2. Open **File Explorer** and navigate to the zip file.
3. **Right-click** on the zip file.
4. Select **7-Zip → Extract to "[foldername]"**.
5. The file will be extracted to a new folder in the same location.



## Solution 3: Extract to a simple path
Sometimes the error occurs because the zip file is saved in a folder with a very long name, or in a folder containing special characters such as `&`, `#` or `@`. Windows can sometimes have trouble with these when extracting files.

The solution is to first move the zip file to a simple location and extract it from there. Follow these steps:

1. Open **File Explorer** (**Windows key + E**).
2. Navigate to the **C: drive**.
3. Create a new folder here by right-clicking on an empty area and selecting **New → Folder**. Give the folder a simple name, for example `Temp`.
4. Go back to the zip file, right-click on it and select **Copy**.
5. Navigate to the newly created folder `C:\Temp` and paste the file there (right-click → **Paste**).
6. Now extract the zip file from this new location.

The full path will look like this: `C:\Temp`


## Questions?
Can't figure it out? Feel free to ask for our help via the chat!