Unpacking a ZIP File in Windows XP, Vista, or 7:
There are two ways to open a ZIP file in Windows XP without using another program:
- Double-click on the ZIP file and it will open like a folder. You can then open, copy or move files from within the ZIP file just like you could with any folder.
- Right-click on the ZIP file and select "Extract All," then follow the prompts.
Unpacking a ZIP File in Mac OS X
Mac OS X users now have ZIP functionality built directly into the Finder. Just navigate to where you saved the ZIP file, and double-click on the icon. The Finder will create a new folder with the same name as the archive file and decompress all the files from the ZIP into that folder.
Unpacking a ZIP File in Ubuntu or other modern Linux versions
Just right-click on the ZIP file and select "Extract Here" to extract the files into the folder you are working in. Or, double-click on the ZIP file to open it in the Archive Manager for more options.
Advanced Users
If you need more flexibility in creating and working with ZIP files, we recommend the powerful and FREE 7-Zip utility, available for download at http://www.7-zip.org/. 7-Zip is free for all usages, including commercial.
