Zipped (compressed) files take up less storage space and can be transferred to other computers more quickly than uncompressed files. Using zipped files for sharing on cloud drives is highly advantageous.
Work with zipped files and folders the same way as uncompressed files and folders. To share a group of files more easily, combine several files into a single zipped folder. Using zipped files for sharing on cloud drives is highly advantageous, as it minimizes the chances of losing files during the transfer process.
Windows
To zip (compress) a file or folder
- Locate the file or folder that you want to zip.
- Right-click the file or folder:
- Windows 11: click Compress to...
- Windows 10 or previous: select Send to, then select Compressed (zipped) folder.
To rename it, 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 from which you want to unzip (extract) files or folders.
- 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, right-click on the folder, select Extract All..., and then follow the instructions.
Note: To add files or folders to a zipped folder you created earlier, drag them to the zipped folder.
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.
Mac
On Mac, in a Finder window, or on the desktop, do any of the following:
To zip (compress) a file or folder
Control-click it, then choose Compress from the shortcut menu.
If you compress a single item, the compressed file has the name of the original item with the .zip extension. If you compress multiple items at once, the compressed file is called Archive.zip.
To unzip (extract) files or folders from a compressed folder
Double-click the .zip file.
The unzipped item appears in the same folder as the .zip file. If you want to, you can delete the .zip file.
Note: If you can’t open the .zip file, make sure you have enough space on your Mac for the unzipped item. If you received the .zip file from someone else, there might be a problem with the file. Ask them to zip the file again and resend it.