diff --git a/src/atomate2/utils/file_client.py b/src/atomate2/utils/file_client.py
index ba3989ac0e..5e4aca0ef3 100644
--- a/src/atomate2/utils/file_client.py
+++ b/src/atomate2/utils/file_client.py
@@ -353,7 +353,7 @@ def gzip(
         path: str | Path,
         host: str | None = None,
         compresslevel: int = 6,
-        force: bool = False,
+        force: bool | str = False,
     ):
         """
         Gzip a file.
@@ -367,7 +367,12 @@ def gzip(
         compresslevel : bool
             Level of compression, 1-9. 9 is default for GzipFile, 6 is default for gzip.
         force : bool
-            Overwrite gzipped file if it already exists.
+            How to handle writing a gzipped file if it already exists. Accepts
+            either a string or bool:
+
+            - `"force"` or `True`: Overwrite gzipped file if it already exists.
+            - `"raise"` or `False`: Raise an error if file already exists.
+            - `"skip"` Skip file if it already exists.
         """
         path = self.abspath(path, host=host)
         path_gz = path.parent / f"{path.name}.gz"
@@ -380,8 +385,21 @@ def gzip(
             warnings.warn(f"{path} is a directory, skipping...", stacklevel=1)
             return
 
-        if self.exists(path_gz, host=host) and not force:
-            raise FileExistsError(f"{path_gz} file already exists.")
+        if self.exists(path_gz, host=host):
+            if force is False or force == "raise":
+                raise FileExistsError(f"{path_gz} file already exists")
+            if force is True or force == "force":
+                pass
+            elif force == "skip":
+                warnings.warn(
+                    f"{path_gz} file already exists, skipping...", stacklevel=2
+                )
+                return
+            else:
+                raise ValueError(
+                    f"Invalid value for force: {force} "
+                    "(must be True, False, 'raise', 'force', or 'skip'))"
+                )
 
         if host is None:
             with open(path, "rb") as f_in, GzipFile(
@@ -398,7 +416,7 @@ def gunzip(
         self,
         path: str | Path,
         host: str | None = None,
-        force: bool = False,
+        force: bool | str = False,
     ):
         """
         Ungzip a file.
@@ -410,7 +428,12 @@ def gunzip(
         host : str or None
             A remote file system host on which to perform file operations.
         force : bool
-            Overwrite non-gzipped file if it already exists.
+            How to handle writing a non-gzipped file if it already exists. Accepts
+            either a string or bool:
+
+            - `"force"` or `True`: Overwrite non-gzipped file if it already exists.
+            - `"raise"` or `False`: Raise an error if file already exists.
+            - `"skip"` Skip file if it already exists.
         """
         path = self.abspath(path, host=host)
         path_nongz = path.with_suffix("")
@@ -419,8 +442,21 @@ def gunzip(
             warnings.warn(f"{path} is not gzipped, skipping...", stacklevel=2)
             return
 
-        if self.exists(path_nongz, host=host) and not force:
-            raise FileExistsError(f"{path_nongz} file already exists")
+        if self.exists(path_nongz, host=host):
+            if force is False or force == "raise":
+                raise FileExistsError(f"{path_nongz} file already exists")
+            if force is True or force == "force":
+                pass
+            elif force == "skip":
+                warnings.warn(
+                    f"{path_nongz} file already exists, skipping...", stacklevel=2
+                )
+                return
+            else:
+                raise ValueError(
+                    f"Invalid value for force: {force} "
+                    "(must be True, False, 'raise', 'force', or 'skip'))"
+                )
 
         if host is None:
             with open(path_nongz, "wb") as f_out, zopen(path, "rb") as f_in:
diff --git a/src/atomate2/vasp/files.py b/src/atomate2/vasp/files.py
index 6da912e66d..cd7102c70a 100644
--- a/src/atomate2/vasp/files.py
+++ b/src/atomate2/vasp/files.py
@@ -29,7 +29,7 @@ def copy_vasp_outputs(
     src_host: str | None = None,
     additional_vasp_files: Sequence[str] = (),
     contcar_to_poscar: bool = True,
-    force_overwrite: bool = False,
+    force_overwrite: bool | str = False,
     file_client: FileClient | None = None,
 ):
     """
@@ -53,8 +53,13 @@ def copy_vasp_outputs(
         Additional files to copy, e.g. ["CHGCAR", "WAVECAR"].
     contcar_to_poscar : bool
         Move CONTCAR to POSCAR (original POSCAR is not copied).
-    force_overwrite : bool
-        If True, overwrite existing files during the copy step.
+    force_overwrite : bool or str
+        How to handle overwriting existing files during the copy step. Accepts
+        either a string or bool:
+
+            - `"force"` or `True`: Overwrite existing files if they already exist.
+            - `"raise"` or `False`: Raise an error if files already exist.
+            - `"skip"` Skip files they already exist.
     file_client : .FileClient
         A file client to use for performing file operations.
     """
diff --git a/tests/common/test_files.py b/tests/common/test_files.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..8204a1ecaf
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/common/test_files.py
@@ -0,0 +1,30 @@
+def test_gunzip_force_overwrites(tmp_path):
+    from atomate2.common.files import gunzip_files, gzip_files
+
+    files = ["file1", "file2", "file3"]
+    for fname in files:
+        f = tmp_path / fname
+        f.write_text(fname)
+    gzip_files(tmp_path)
+
+    for fname in files:
+        f = tmp_path / fname
+        f.write_text(f"{fname} overwritten")
+    # "file1" in the zipped files and "file1 overwritten" in the unzipped files
+    gunzip_files(tmp_path, force=True)
+
+    for fname in files:
+        f = tmp_path / fname
+        assert f.read_text() == fname
+
+    gzip_files(tmp_path)
+
+    for fname in files:
+        f = tmp_path / fname
+        f.write_text(f"{fname} overwritten")
+
+    # "file1" in the zipped files and "file1 overwritten" in the unzipped files
+    gunzip_files(tmp_path, force="skip")
+    for fname in files:
+        f = tmp_path / fname
+        assert f.read_text() == f"{fname} overwritten"