How To Create A Zip File On Windows

Lesson 4: Working with Zip Files

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What is a zilch file?

A goose egg file is a way of grouping, or archiving, multiple files so they act similar one file. For example, let'south say you want to electronic mail a folder of Word documents to someone. You could attach each file individually, but it would accept a long time—peculiarly if in that location are a lot of documents. A meliorate solution would be to put all of the files into a zip file, so attach the zip file to your email.

showing a zip file in Windows

Some other reward of zip files is that they are compressed, which means the total file size is smaller. If you're emailing a zip file to someone or posting it to the Web, it takes less time to upload—and your recipients will also be able to download it more than quickly.

Some file formats, like MP3s and JPEG images, are already compressed. You can still nada these types of files, but the file size may not get much smaller.

Creating zip files

Whether you're using Windows or macOS, y'all don't need additional software to create and open up zip files. That's considering the basic nil file features are congenital into the operating arrangement.

To create a zippo file in Windows:

Select the files y'all want to add to the zilch file.

Selecting files
Correct-click i of the files. A menu will appear.

Correct-clicking a file
In the menu, click Send to and select Compressed (zipped) folder.

Creating a zip file
A cypher file will announced. If y'all desire, you can blazon a new name for the cypher file.

In Windows, once y'all've created a zippo file y'all can so add more files to information technology by dragging them onto the zip file'southward icon.

dragging an extra file to the zip file

To create a nada file in macOS:

Select the files y'all want to add together to the zip file.
Right-click i of the files. If right-clicking is not enabled, you tin hold the Control key and then click. A menu will appear.
In the menu, click Compress (the number will vary depending on how many files y'all accept selected).
A zip file volition appear. By default, the file name will be Archive.zilch.
If you want, you can blazon a new proper name for the nada file.

In macOS, in one case you've created a zip file you cannot add more files to it. If you need to add files, you volition need to create a new cipher file that contains all of the files y'all want.

Adding a password to your zip file

Some people adopt to use zip file programs such as 7-Zip, PeaZip, and StuffIt. These programs have boosted features, like password protection. If y'all add together a countersign to your zip file, it's of import to tell recipients what the password is so they can open it.

showing password protection using PeaZip

Opening null files

To open a zippo file in Windows:

Windows treats null files only like folders. Yous can open a zip file, motion files in and out of it, and open up individual files just like you would if they were in a folder.

Double-click the nada file.
The zip file volition open. You tin can now double-click any file to open up information technology.

Because Windows makes it piece of cake to piece of work with naught files, there's more often than not no need to unzip them. However, if yous would prefer to unzip them you can simply right-click the zip file'southward icon and select Excerpt All.

selecting extract all from the right-click menu

To open a aught file in macOS:

Opening a zippo file in macOS is slightly different from Windows. Instead of opening the zero file straight, it will unzip the files and identify them in a new folder. You tin can then open the folder to access individual files.

Double-click the naught file.
A folder volition be created with the same name as the goose egg file. You can double-click the folder to open it.
You can now double-click any file to open information technology.

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