diff --git a/audeer/core/io.py b/audeer/core/io.py
index 22a8eab..b289c49 100644
--- a/audeer/core/io.py
+++ b/audeer/core/io.py
@@ -15,6 +15,7 @@
 from audeer.core.path import path as safe_path
 from audeer.core.tqdm import format_display_message
 from audeer.core.tqdm import progress_bar
+from audeer.core.utils import run_tasks
 from audeer.core.utils import to_list
 
 
@@ -292,6 +293,7 @@ def extract_archive(
     *,
     keep_archive: bool = True,
     verbose: bool = False,
+    num_workers: int | None = 1,
 ) -> list[str]:
     r"""Extract ZIP or TAR file.
 
@@ -302,6 +304,11 @@ def extract_archive(
             it will be created
         keep_archive: if ``False`` delete archive file after extraction
         verbose: if ``True`` a progress bar is shown
+        num_workers: number of parallel jobs or 1 for sequential
+            processing. If ``None`` will be set to the number of
+            processors on the machine multiplied by 5.
+            Multi-threading can significantly speed up extraction
+            for archives with many files
 
     Returns:
         paths of extracted files relative to ``destination``
@@ -365,24 +372,57 @@ def extract_archive(
     def extract_zip(archive: str) -> list:
         with zipfile.ZipFile(archive, "r") as zf:
             members = zf.infolist()
-            for member in progress_bar(members, desc=desc, disable=disable):
-                zf.extract(member, destination)
+
+            if num_workers == 1:
+                # Sequential extraction with progress bar
+                for member in progress_bar(members, desc=desc, disable=disable):
+                    zf.extract(member, destination)
+            else:
+                # Parallel extraction with progress bar
+                params = [([member, destination], {}) for member in members]
+                run_tasks(
+                    zf.extract,
+                    params,
+                    num_workers=num_workers,
+                    progress_bar=verbose,
+                    task_description=desc,
+                )
+
             return [m.filename for m in members]
 
+    def extract_tar_member(member):
+        """Extract a single member from a TAR archive."""
+        with tarfile.open(archive, "r") as tf:
+            # In Python 3.12 the `filter` argument was introduced,
+            # and it will be set automatically in Python 3.14,
+            # see
+            # https://docs.python.org/3.12/library/tarfile.html#tarfile-extraction-filter
+            # noqa: E501
+            kwargs = {"numeric_owner": True}
+            if sys.version_info >= (3, 12):  # pragma: no cover
+                kwargs = kwargs | {"filter": "tar"}
+            tf.extract(member, destination, **kwargs)
+
     def extract_tar(archive: str) -> list:
         with tarfile.open(archive, "r") as tf:
             members = tf.getmembers()
+
+        if num_workers == 1:
+            # Sequential extraction with progress bar
             for member in progress_bar(members, desc=desc, disable=disable):
-                # In Python 3.12 the `filter` argument was introduced,
-                # and it will be set automatically in Python 3.14,
-                # see
-                # https://docs.python.org/3.12/library/tarfile.html#tarfile-extraction-filter
-                # noqa: E501
-                kwargs = {"numeric_owner": True}
-                if sys.version_info >= (3, 12):  # pragma: no cover
-                    kwargs = kwargs | {"filter": "tar"}
-                tf.extract(member, destination, **kwargs)
-            return [m.name for m in members]
+                extract_tar_member(member)
+        else:
+            # Parallel extraction with progress bar
+            params = [([member], {}) for member in members]
+            run_tasks(
+                extract_tar_member,
+                params,
+                num_workers=num_workers,
+                progress_bar=verbose,
+                task_description=desc,
+            )
+
+        return [m.name for m in members]
 
     try:
         if archive.endswith("zip"):
diff --git a/tests/test_io.py b/tests/test_io.py
index 0212e52..5213c56 100644
--- a/tests/test_io.py
+++ b/tests/test_io.py
@@ -1620,3 +1620,61 @@ def test_touch(tmpdir):
     new_stat = os.stat(path)
     assert stat.st_atime < new_stat.st_atime
     assert stat.st_mtime < new_stat.st_mtime
+
+
+@pytest.mark.parametrize(
+    "archive_type",
+    [
+        "zip",
+        "tar.gz",
+    ],
+)
+def test_extract_archive_multithread(tmpdir, archive_type):
+    """Test multi-threaded extraction of archives."""
+    # Create test files
+    root = audeer.mkdir(tmpdir, "root")
+    files = []
+    for i in range(20):
+        file = audeer.touch(root, f"file{i:02d}.txt")
+        with open(file, "w") as f:
+            f.write(f"Content of file {i}")
+        files.append(f"file{i:02d}.txt")
+
+    # Create archive
+    archive = audeer.path(tmpdir, f"archive.{archive_type}")
+    audeer.create_archive(root, None, archive)
+
+    # Extract with single thread (default)
+    dest_single = audeer.mkdir(tmpdir, "dest_single")
+    result_single = audeer.extract_archive(
+        archive,
+        dest_single,
+        num_workers=1,
+    )
+
+    # Extract with multiple threads
+    dest_multi = audeer.mkdir(tmpdir, "dest_multi")
+    result_multi = audeer.extract_archive(
+        archive,
+        dest_multi,
+        num_workers=4,
+    )
+
+    # Verify results are identical
+    assert result_single == result_multi
+    assert len(result_single) == 20
+
+    # Verify all files were extracted correctly in both cases
+    for file in files:
+        single_file = audeer.path(dest_single, file)
+        multi_file = audeer.path(dest_multi, file)
+
+        assert os.path.exists(single_file)
+        assert os.path.exists(multi_file)
+
+        with open(single_file) as f:
+            content_single = f.read()
+        with open(multi_file) as f:
+            content_multi = f.read()
+
+        assert content_single == content_multi