How to Zip and Unzip Files in Windows

Step by step

1. 1 min

   Select the files for compression

   Open File Explorer and navigate to the folder containing the items you wish to compress. Click and drag to highlight the specific files or folders, or hold the Ctrl key while clicking to select multiple non-adjacent items.

   Note: You can select a single folder or a collection of files and folders simultaneously.
2. 30 sec

   Initiate the compression command

   Right-click on any of the selected items. In the context menu, click 'Compress to ZIP file'.

3. 30 sec

   Name the archive

   A new file with a .zip extension will appear in your current directory with a highlighted text field. Type your preferred filename and press Enter to finalize the creation of the archive.

   Note: Windows automatically names the archive based on the primary file selected.
4. 30 sec

   Open the extraction menu

   To extract a zip file, right-click the file in File Explorer. Select 'Extract All' from the context menu to launch the extraction wizard.

5. 30 sec

   Define the destination path

   A dialog box will appear asking for the destination folder. Click 'Browse' to choose a specific location or leave the default path as is to extract the files into a new folder within the current directory.

   Note: Ensure the 'Show extracted files when complete' box is checked if you want to view the contents immediately.
6. 30 sec

   Execute the extraction

   Click the 'Extract' button at the bottom of the window. The system will decompress the archive and present the files in the target location.

   Note: Large archives may take a few moments to decompress depending on total file size.