How to Decompress ZIP Files

The ZIP file format combines a set of separate files into a single compressed binary file referred to as an archive. Because the archive can contain more than one file in compressed format, the ZIP format has become one of the most common ways to transfer files over the Internet. In order to decompress the files stored in ZIP format, the ZIP file first must be downloaded to a PC and then a file utility must be used to extract the individual files from the compressed binary file. Many file utilities are available to "unzip" files in ZIP format in the form of freeware, shareware and commercial packages. The following steps for downloading and unzipping ZIP files work for most browsers:

1. Click on the link with the right or left mouse button.



2. Choose the appropriate option in the popup or dialogue box for saving the ZIP file.



3. Download the ZIP file to a folder on the PC.



4. Use a ZIP file utility to extract the compressed files from the archive.



5. View the unzipped file or files using the appropriate software for the file format.

Last Modified Date: October 16, 2001