How to View ZIP Files

The following five 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 file(s)
  5. View the unzipped file or files using the appropriate software for the file format

In order to decompress the file 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 file 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.

 

Last modified: October 16, 2001