Create and open zip files

A zip file is a compressed file that contains one or more files. The file size of such a compressed file is smaller than all individual files together. So the zip file takes up less storage space and you have also merged all separate files into one file. This is convenient if, for example, you want to send several photos by e-mail.

Zip files have the file extension .zip. They can also be recognized in Windows Explorer by the file name icon: a zipped folder.

Make a zip file of various files.

• Open Windows Explorer and navigate to the files you want to merge into a zip file. Are the files in different places on the computer? First put them together in a new folder.
• Hold down the Ctrl key on your keyboard and click on the files you want to zip.
• Right-click one of the selected files and in Windows 10 click Copy to > Compressed (zipped) folder. In Windows 11, click Compress to ZIP file.
• Type the desired folder name and press the Enter key.

You can open a zip file in several ways. The easiest way is to double click on the zip file. You will then see which files are in the zip file. Only these files are still compressed (reduced). Extract the files like this:

• Right click on the zip file.
• click on Unpack everything.
• A new window will appear. Here you can use ‘Browse’ to determine where on the computer the extracted folder will be saved. By default, this is the same place where the zip file is located.
• click on unpacking.

The folder with the extracted files will now open in the Explorer.