Missing PHP ZipArchive extension

Oct 13, 2025 by thesweetdesigns.com 140 views

Introduction

When working with Laravel, especially when using packages like maatwebsite/excel to import Excel files, you may encounter the error "Class 'ZipArchive' not found". This error can be frustrating, especially when CSV imports work properly, but XLSX imports fail. In this article, we will explore the possible causes of this error and provide a step-by-step guide to resolve it.

Understanding the Error

The "Class 'ZipArchive' not found" error occurs when the PHP ZipArchive class is not available in your Laravel application. The ZipArchive class is a built-in PHP class that allows you to create and manipulate zip archives. However, in some environments, this class may not be available, leading to the error.

Possible Causes

There are several possible causes of the "Class 'ZipArchive' not found" error in Laravel:

Missing PHP ZipArchive extension: The ZipArchive class is a part of the PHP ZipArchive extension. If this extension is not installed or enabled in your PHP environment, you will encounter the error.
Incorrect PHP version: The ZipArchive class is available in PHP 5.2 and later versions. If you are using an earlier version of PHP, you may encounter the error.
Laravel environment configuration: In some cases, the error may be caused by incorrect configuration in your Laravel environment.

Resolving the Error

To resolve the "Class 'ZipArchive' not found" error in Laravel, follow these steps:

Step 1: Check PHP Version

First, check your PHP version to ensure it is 5.2 or later. You can check your PHP version by running the following command in your terminal:

php -v

If your PHP version is earlier than 5.2, you need to upgrade to a later version.

Step 2: Install PHP ZipArchive Extension

If you are using a Linux or macOS environment, you can install the PHP ZipArchive extension using the following command:

sudo apt-get install php7.4-zip

Replace php7.4 with your actual PHP version.

Step 3: Enable PHP ZipArchive Extension

If you are using a Linux or macOS environment, you need to enable the PHP ZipArchive extension in your PHP configuration file. You can do this by adding the following line to your php.ini file:

extension=zip.so

Replace zip.so with the actual name of the PHP ZipArchive extension on your system.

Step 4: Restart Server

After making changes to your PHP configuration file, you need to restart your server to apply the changes.

Step 5: Check Laravel Environment Configuration

If you are using a Laravel environment, you need to check your environment configuration to ensure that the PHP ZipArchive extension is enabled.

Using maatwebsite/excel Package

If you are using the maatwebsite/excel package to import Excel files, you need to ensure that the package is properly configured to use the PHP ZipArchive extension.

Example Configuration

Here is an example of how to configure the maatwebsite/excel package to use the PHP ZipArchive extension:

'excel' => [
    'enabled' => true,
    'file' => storage_path('app/public/excel'),
    'ignoreProperties' => false,
    'ignorePropertiesOnMissing' => false,
    'maxExecutionTime' => null,
    'memoryLimit' => null,
    'threads' => 2,
    'useCaching' => false,
    'cacheLocation' => storage_path('app/public/excel/cache'),
    'importBindings' => [],
    'exportBindings' => [],
    'excel' => [
        'exports' => [
            \Maatwebsite\Excel\Concerns\FromCollection::class,
            \Maatwebsite\Excel\Concerns\FromQuery::class,
            \Maatwebsite\Excel\Concerns\FromView::class,
            \Maatwebsite\Excel\Concerns\FromModel::class,
            \Maatwebsite\Excel\Concerns\FromArray::class,
            \Maatwebsite\Excel\Concerns\FromKey::class,
            \Maatwebsite\Excel\Concerns\FromCollection::class,
            \Maatwebsite\Excel\Concerns\FromQuery::class,
            \Maatwebsite\Excel\Concerns\FromView::class,
            \Maatwebsite\Excel\Concerns\FromModel::class,
            \Maatwebsite\Excel\Concerns\FromArray::class,
            \Maatwebsite\Excel\Concerns\FromKey::class,
        ],
        'exports' => [
            \Maatwebsite\Excel\Concerns\WithHeadings::class,
            \Maatwebsite\Excel\Concerns\WithMapping::class,
            \Maatwebsite\Excel\Concerns\WithCalculatedFormulas::class,
            \Maatwebsite\Excel\Concerns\WithStyles::class,
            \Maatwebsite\Excel\Concerns\WithMultipleSheets::class,
            \Maatwebsite\Excel\Concerns\WithChunkReading::class,
            \Maatwebsite\Excel\Concerns\WithValidation::class,
            \Maatwebsite\Excel\Concerns\WithEvents::class,
            \Maatwebsite\Excel\Concerns\WithProperties::class,
            \Maatwebsite\Excel\Concerns\WithPropertiesOnMissing::class,
            \Maatwebsite\Excel\Concerns\WithPropertiesOnMissing::class,
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            \Maatwebsite\<br/>
**Q&A: Resolving the "Class 'ZipArchive' not found" Error in Laravel**
====================================================================
Q: What is the "Class 'ZipArchive' not found" error in Laravel?
A: The "Class 'ZipArchive' not found" error in Laravel occurs when the PHP ZipArchive class is not available in your Laravel application. The ZipArchive class is a built-in PHP class that allows you to create and manipulate zip archives.
Q: Why do I get the "Class 'ZipArchive' not found" error when importing XLSX files using the maatwebsite/excel package?
A: The maatwebsite/excel package uses the PHP ZipArchive class to import XLSX files. If the ZipArchive class is not available in your Laravel application, you will encounter the "Class 'ZipArchive' not found" error.
Q: How do I resolve the "Class 'ZipArchive' not found" error in Laravel?
A: To resolve the "Class 'ZipArchive' not found" error in Laravel, follow these steps:


Check your PHP version to ensure it is 5.2 or later.


Install the PHP ZipArchive extension using the following command:



sudo apt-get install php7.4-zip

Replace `php7.4` with your actual PHP version.

Enable the PHP ZipArchive extension in your PHP configuration file by adding the following line:

extension=zip.so

Replace `zip.so` with the actual name of the PHP ZipArchive extension on your system. 4. Restart your server to apply the changes. 5. Check your Laravel environment configuration to ensure that the PHP ZipArchive extension is enabled. Q: What if I am using a Windows environment? How do I resolve the "Class 'ZipArchive' not found" error? A: If you are using a Windows environment, you can resolve the "Class 'ZipArchive' not found" error by following these steps: Check your PHP version to ensure it is 5.2 or later. Download and install the PHP ZipArchive extension from the official PHP website. Enable the PHP ZipArchive extension in your PHP configuration file by adding the following line:

extension=zip.dll

Replace `zip.dll` with the actual name of the PHP ZipArchive extension on your system.

Restart your server to apply the changes.
Check your Laravel environment configuration to ensure that the PHP ZipArchive extension is enabled.

Q: What if I am using a Laravel environment? How do I resolve the "Class 'ZipArchive' not found" error?

A: If you are using a Laravel environment, you can resolve the "Class 'ZipArchive' not found" error by following these steps:

Check your PHP version to ensure it is 5.2 or later.
Install the PHP ZipArchive extension using the following command:

composer require php-xml

This will install the PHP ZipArchive extension and its dependencies. 3. Enable the PHP ZipArchive extension in your PHP configuration file by adding the following line: ```ini

extension=zip.so

Replace `zip.so` with the actual name of the PHP ZipArchive extension on your system.

Restart your server to apply the changes.
Check your Laravel environment configuration to ensure that the PHP ZipArchive extension is enabled.

Q: How do I configure the maatwebsite/excel package to use the PHP ZipArchive extension?

A: To configure the maatwebsite/excel package to use the PHP ZipArchive extension, follow these steps:

Open your config/excel.php file.
Add the following line to the excel section:

'excel' => [ // ... 'useCaching' => false, // ... ],


    This will disable caching and allow the maatwebsite/excel package to use the PHP ZipArchive extension.
3.  Save the changes to your `config/excel.php` file.
Q: What if I still encounter the "Class 'ZipArchive' not found" error after following these steps?
A: If you still encounter the "Class 'ZipArchive' not found" error after following these steps, it may be due to a conflict with another package or a configuration issue. Try the following:


Check your package dependencies to ensure that there are no conflicts with the PHP ZipArchive extension.


Check your Laravel environment configuration to ensure that the PHP ZipArchive extension is enabled.


Try disabling caching in the maatwebsite/excel package by adding the following line to your config/excel.php file:



'excel' => [
// ...
'useCaching' => false,
// ...
],

This will disable caching and allow the maatwebsite/excel package to use the PHP ZipArchive extension.

If you still encounter issues, try seeking help from the Laravel community or the maatwebsite/excel package documentation.