How to Unzip and Zip files
Introduction | Unzipping Files | Zipping FilesOur website has many large files available in zipped or compressed format. The result is a smaller file that downloads faster. If you haven't used zipped files before, or are having trouble working with them, this tutorial is to help you.
- What is a zipped (or compressed) file (or folder)?
Understand the basics of file compression and learn how to easily zip and unzip files on a Mac computer! If the jar file defaults to be opened with an archive program, such as WinRAR or 7-Zip, you can change the default program. To change the default program that opens jar files, right-click the jar file, select Open With, then Choose default program.In the Open With window, click the Browse button to open the File Explorer window. You need to find the executable file (.exe file) for the. In order to read or open a.dat file, you need to know what kind of file it is, and then convert it to make it easier to open. Such files aren't associated with a particular program though, so if it's in plain text, you can try to open it with different programs like MS Document or Notepad among others, and it'll display the content.
| Synonyms |
|---|
| Zipped file |
| Compressed file |
| Zipped folder |
| Compressed folder |
| Zipped archive |
Zipped files (known by many names, see the table to the right, but in this document called 'zipped files') are one or more files on a computer disk that have been combined into a single file in a space-efficient manner to reduce their total file size. This is very useful when disk space is limited or when people download files. Since multiple files can be stored in a zipped file, a single file can be downloaded then unzipped to easily download many files at once. You can think of a zipped file as a set of books on a shelf:
The set of books is arranged so that they take a very small amount of space, but you can't use or read them while arranged in this compressed manner.
Unzipping files
In order to work with zipped files, they must be unzipped or extracted first. Windows has a built in program called Windows Compressed Folders which can do this for you. If you have installed a zip program, such as WinZip* or 7-Zip*, Windows Compressed Folders may not be easily available on your computer. If you follow the instructions below for Windows Compressed Folders, but a different program opens, you can still follow the instructions listed, and it should generally still work.
- Unzipping a file with Windows Compressed Folders
- ↓ TIP: Check the box for each step you complete, keeping the next step clear.
- This tutorial assumes you can see file extensions, which unfortunately is not the default for Windows installations. To show these file extensions, see Microsoft's documentation for Vista or XP. If you don't or can't show file extensions, you can still use the file icon to determine file type.
- Find the zipped file that you want to unzip in Windows Explorer. In this example, I'm showing cvs-eep-entrytool-v2.2.7.zip, in the folder C:data. Windows XP is shown here, but Windows Vista works in the same way:
Note that the file extension is .zip for zipped file. - Next, double-click the zipped file. This opens up the zipped file so that you can see the files that are inside it. With the above analogy of a set of books on a bookshelf, you are now seeing the book spines on the shelf:
Notice the address bar now says that you are in a folder with a .zip extension and shows a zipped file icon as well. The file inside this zipped file is shown as a normal unzipped file. In this case, it's an .mdb file or Microsoft database. Do not double-click this file to open it when inside a zipped folder. That's like trying to read a book before taking it off the shelf.
This step is the step that confuses a lot of people. This appears to be a normal folder on your computer, but in fact, you are within a single zipped file. - Single-click the file(s) and/or folder(s) you want to unzip. If you want to select all files and folders (even if there is only one) in the .zip file, press Ctrl-A on your keyboard:
Notice that the files are now selected. In the above screenshot, a blue background shows that a file is selected. The background for selected files could be a different color on your computer. - Now, copy the file(s) by pressing Ctrl-C on your keyboard.
- Then, click the 'back' button to return to the previous folder:
- Now you are in the original folder, which is not a zipped file (in this case, C:data):
- Lastly, paste the file(s) into this folder by pressing Ctrl-V on your keyboard. This copies the files as unzipped files into the folder you are currently viewing:
This may take a few minutes or longer for large files. - When the file has completed copying, both the .zip file and the unzipped file(s) are in the same folder. You can use the .zip file as a backup copy or delete it. You can now work with the unzipped files. In the above analogy, you have pulled book(s) off the shelf and can read them. Enjoy!
- Unzipping a file with other zip programs
Other software programs exist for zipping and unzipping files. Two popular programs are WinZip* and 7-Zip*. Both of these allow you to unzip and zip with two clicks:
Here, I have right-clicked on the zipped file and selected 'Extract to here.' 'Extract' is the same thing as 'unzip.' Windows also sometimes places 'Extract files' links in toolbars which may be useful to you. Windows generally opens a wizard to ask where you want the files extracted. The location of the 'extract files' tool varies depending on how Windows Explorer is set up and what version of Windows you are using.
- Zipping a file with Windows Compressed Folders
- ↓ TIP: Check the box for each step you complete, keeping the next step clear.
- Right-click on the file, left-click on Send To > , then left-click on Compressed (Zipped) Folder:
- Windows creates a temporary file (highlighted letters) and may show a 'Compressing..' progress box:
- When Windows finishes compression, a new .zip file has been created in the same folder as your unzipped file, with the same name except with a .zip extension:
Note that in most cases, the file size will be much smaller. Some files can't be compressed much, such as .jpg pictures. Others files, such as text and database files, compress to a small fraction of the size of the uncompressed file.
- Zipping with other programs
As above, other programs exist to zip files with two clicks:
*This page is informational only and is not an endorsement of any particular software.
Zipped (compressed) files take up less storage space and can be transferred to other computers more quickly than uncompressed files. How to send music by bluetooth on android. In Windows, you work with zipped files and folders in the same way that you work with uncompressed files and folders. Combine several files into a single zipped folder to more easily share a group of files.
How To Unzip Something On Winzip
To zip (compress) a file or folder
How To Unzip Something For Free
Locate the file or folder that you want to zip.
Press and hold (or right-click) the file or folder, select (or point to) Send to, and then select Compressed (zipped) folder.
A new zipped folder with the same name is created in the same location. To rename it, press and hold (or right-click) the folder, select Rename, and then type the new name.
To unzip (extract) files or folders from a zipped folder
How To Unzip Something On Winzip
To zip (compress) a file or folder
How To Unzip Something For Free
Locate the file or folder that you want to zip.
Press and hold (or right-click) the file or folder, select (or point to) Send to, and then select Compressed (zipped) folder.
A new zipped folder with the same name is created in the same location. To rename it, press and hold (or right-click) the folder, select Rename, and then type the new name.
To unzip (extract) files or folders from a zipped folder
Locate the zipped folder that you want to unzip (extract) files or folders from.
Do one of the following:
To unzip a single file or folder, open the zipped folder, then drag the file or folder from the zipped folder to a new location.
To unzip all the contents of the zipped folder, press and hold (or right-click) the folder, select Extract All, and then follow the instructions.
Notes:
How to download minecraft for free on pc. To add files or folders to a zipped folder you created earlier, drag them to the zipped folder.
If you add encrypted files to a zipped folder, they'll be unencrypted when they're unzipped, which might result in unintentional disclosure of personal or sensitive information. For that reason, we recommend that you avoid zipping encrypted files.
How do you lock the iphone. Some types of files, like JPEG images, are already highly compressed. If you zip several JPEG pictures into a folder, the total size of the folder will be about the same as the original collection of pictures.
