Zipping and unzipping files in Windows is an easy way to save storage space, reduce the size of large files, and share information quickly. Below are the steps for zipping and unzipping files in Windows.
Zipping Files
1. Find the file or folder you want to zip. Right-click the file or folder, point to Send to, and then click Compressed (zipped) folder. A new zipped folder will appear with the same name.
2. To compress a single file, right-click it and select Send to > Compress (zipped) Folder. To compress multiple files or folders at the same time, hold down the Ctrl key and click each item you want to compress before right-clicking and selecting Send to > Compressed (zipped) Folder.
3. If you want to rename the zipped folder, right-click it and select Rename.
Unzipping Files
1. Find the zipped file you want to extract. Right-click and select Extract All.
2. Choose where you want to save the extracted files and click Extract.
3. The zipped contents will be extracted to the specified location and you will find them in the same format as before.
4. If you want to open the zipped file without having to extract it, double-click the zipped file to open the compressed folder. Then you can view the contents of the zipped file without extracting it.
Tips
• To save even more space when zipping files, click Advanced > High Level Compression.
• To password protect a ZIP file, click Advanced > Set Password and enter a password when prompted.
• To email a ZIP file, use an email service like Gmail, which allows you to attach files up to 25MB.
• To extract the files from a ZIP file over the internet, use an online service like WinZip. This service allows you to extract files from a ZIP file without downloading it first.