GitHub Actions artifacts support unzipped upload and download
Introduced 2026-02-26 · score 0.94
HOW TO USE IT
When a workflow needs an unzipped artifact, upload one file with `actions/upload-artifact@v7` and `archive: false`. If the workflow downloads it with the download action, use `actions/download-artifact@v8` and specify the uploaded file name.
- uses: actions/upload-artifact@v7
with:
path: <file>
archive: false- uses: actions/download-artifact@v8
with:
name: <uploaded-file-name>WHY THIS HELPS
When a workflow needs to preserve artifacts without automatic zipping, configure the upload and download actions for unzipped artifacts.
BEFORE THIS CHANGE
Previously, upload-artifact automatically zipped artifacts; downloading with the action or browser also returned a zipped file.
REQUIREMENTS AND LIMITATIONS
- Version: actions/upload-artifact v7; actions/download-artifact v8 is required when using that action
- upload path (required): File, directory, or wildcard path to upload. With `archive: false`, only one file can be uploaded.
- upload archive: Whether to zip the artifact files; defaults to `true`. Set to `false` for an unzipped upload.
- download name: Artifact name to download; for unzipped files, use the uploaded file name. If omitted, all artifacts for the run are downloaded.
- download path: Destination path; defaults to `$GITHUB_WORKSPACE`.
- download artifact-ids: Comma-separated artifact IDs. Use either `artifact-ids` or `name`, not both.
- Prerequisite: Use upload-artifact v7; if downloading with the action, use download-artifact v8.
- Prerequisite: The action documentation says upload-artifact v4+ and download-artifact v4+ are not supported on GitHub Enterprise Server.
- Only applies to artifacts uploaded with `actions/upload-artifact` v7 where `archive` is set to `false`.
- `archive` currently defaults to `true` for backwards compatibility.
- Previously uploaded artifacts and artifacts uploaded with older action versions continue to be zipped.
- Update to `actions/download-artifact` v8 if using that action.
FIRST-PARTY EVIDENCE
- https://github.blog/changelog/2026-02-26-github-actions-now-supports-uploading-and-downloading-non-zipped-artifacts
- https://github.com/actions/upload-artifact/blob/main/README.md
- https://github.com/marketplace/actions/download-a-build-artifact
- https://github.blog/changelog/2026-02-26-github-actions-now-supports-uploading-and-downloading-non-zipped-artifacts/
Check the installed version and the source before using it. Entry JSON