How to open a zip file

A zip file is a file containing one or more files - called an archive - which have been compressed into a single file to save space. The files within the zip file must be extracted or "unzipped" to a folder such as My Documents or your Desktop, before they can be used. If the zip file contains a program that you want to run, it is best to create a temporary folder into which to extract the files, before you run it.

If you have Windows XP

Windows XP already has support for opening zip files. Windows XP calls zip files compressed folders. When you open a zip file in Windows Explorer, you will see the contents listed just as if it was an ordinary folder. You can drag and drop the contents to an ordinary folder before opening or running them.
The Windows XP support for zip files is fairly limited in scope, and you may crash Windows Explorer if you try to add files to a zip file. For a more robust solution to the problem of working with zip files, use Alpha ZIP.

If you have another version of Windows

There is no built-in support for opening zip files in versions of Windows that preceded Windows XP. There are numerous zip file managers available on the Web, almost all of which support the zip format.
The PC Guru recommends Alpha ZIP. This software adds support for zip files and several other archive types to Windows Explorer, so that they can be treated just like folders. Alpha ZIP is more intuitive and easy to use than products which require you to use a separate application with its own user interface to work with zip files.

Applies to

• Microsoft Windows 95
  
• Microsoft Windows 98
  
• Microsoft Windows Me
  
• Microsoft Windows XP