# LZMA Viewer

Free online LZMA viewer. Open .lzma archives in your browser to list contents — no upload, no extraction.

> Canonical page: https://elysiatools.com/en/viewers/lzma

- **Category:** Archives

- **Supported formats:** .lzma

## Overview

This LZMA viewer reads LZMA-compressed archives directly in your browser. LZMA (Lempel-Ziv-Markov chain Algorithm) is the predecessor to the LZMA2 used in XZ and 7z, known for its high compression ratio. The legacy .lzma format is still found in older packages and embedded systems. Pick a sample or choose your own .lzma file to browse its contents instantly, with no upload.

## When to use

- You received a .lzma file and want to inspect it without extracting.
- You need a private preview of a legacy LZMA-compressed archive.
- You want to check an old .tar.lzma package.

## How it works

- Select a built-in sample archive or choose your own .lzma file.
- The viewer reads the archive's contents in your browser — nothing is uploaded.
- Browse the file list and inspect entry names and sizes.

## Use cases

- Checking legacy .lzma packages.
- Previewing LZMA-compressed embedded firmware.
- Verifying old .tar.lzma distributions.

## Samples

- **Sample Archive**: An LZMA compressed archive sample for in-browser preview

## Frequently asked questions

### What is the difference between LZMA and XZ?

LZMA is the original compression algorithm. XZ is the newer container format that uses LZMA2 (an improved version) with better integrity checking and streaming. The legacy .lzma format predates .xz and is less common today.

### Are my LZMA files uploaded?

No. Files you open from your device stay on your device and are read locally. Only the public sample archive is requested from the server.

### Is .lzma still used?

It is a legacy format largely superseded by .xz and .7z, but you may still encounter it in older packages, embedded systems, and some specialized tools.

## Related content

- [ZIP Viewer](https://elysiatools.com/en/viewers/zip): Open and preview ZIP archives (.zip, .zipx) directly in your browser — list contents without uploading or extracting.
- [7Z Viewer](https://elysiatools.com/en/viewers/7z): Open and preview 7Z archives (.7z) directly in your browser — list contents without uploading or extracting.
- [RAR Viewer](https://elysiatools.com/en/viewers/rar): Open and preview RAR archives (.rar, .cbr) directly in your browser — list contents without uploading or extracting.
- [TAR Viewer](https://elysiatools.com/en/viewers/tar): Open and preview TAR archives (.tar, .tgz) directly in your browser — list contents without uploading or extracting.
- [GZ Viewer](https://elysiatools.com/en/viewers/gz): Open and preview GZip archives (.gz, .gzip) directly in your browser — list contents without uploading or extracting.
- [BZ2 Viewer](https://elysiatools.com/en/viewers/bz2): Open and preview BZip2 archives (.bz2, .bzip2, .tbz, .tbz2) directly in your browser — list contents without uploading or extracting.