How to Open or Create ZIP Folders

About

A ZIP file is a common file format that is used to compress one or more files together into a single location. This file type was created in 1989 by PKWARE, Inc. The compression process reduces the size of the files so that they can be transferred to other locations more easily.

Environment

Windows computer

Steps to Zip (Compress) a File or Folder

1. Locate the file or folder that you want to zip.
2. Right-click the file or folder, select Send To, and then select Compressed (zipped) folder.
3. A new zipped folder with the same name is created in the same location. 

Steps to Unzip (Extract) Files or Folders

1. Locate the ZIP folder that you want to unzip (extract) files or folders from. 
2. To unzip all of the contents of the ZIP-
   •  Right-click the file and select Extract All. 
   • A dialog box will prompt you to select a location to save the extracted files. Use the Browse button to change the location if needed. Then click Extract.
3. To unzip a single file or folder from the ZIP-
   • Double-click on the zip folder to open it, then drag the file or folder from the zip to a new location.