Unzipping ZIP Files

In my 3-1-07 post, I explained how to create your own ZIP files, but some users have requested specific instructions about what to do with a ZIP file once it’s downloaded or saved to the computer. So let’s recap:

Many files that you download will be in the format of a zip file- a file with a (.zip) file extension. (Note: if your computer’s setting is set to hide the file extensions, you may not see the “.zip”) Think of these like a simple grocery bag. You put your groceries in a bag to get them home, unload the bag then throw the bag away.

Files that you download from the internet are often groups of files that are easily packaged into a virtual grocery bag (this is the .zip file). When you are ready to “unpack” the zip file, simply double-click on it. Your zip file may appear similar to one of these:

When you double-click on the ZIP file it will quickly go through an unpacking process using the default unzipping application on your computer. For Windows XP and Vista, this will most likely be set to “Compressed (Zipped) folders” built into the Operating System. It could be some other application like WinZIP or Alladin Expander.

What happens next depends on which application was used to unzip the file. If your computer uses the built-in Windows XP Compressed (Zipped) folders application, it will immediately open a window so that you can view its contents. If your computer used another application, like Alladin, it will create a new folder in the same location with the same name as the ZIP file. For example, if your zip file resides on your desktop and Alladin unzips it, a new folder will be created on the desktop with the same name as the ZIP file as shown. Windows Vista handles ZIP files in this way. When you double-click on the ZIP file, a new folder should automatically be created.

You can then double-click on the new folder to view its contents.

Important Note: if your computer immediately opens a window and displays the files, most likely your computer is using the Windows XP Compressed (Zipped) Folders application. When this happens, the files in that window are “Read-only” which means they can’t be modified in any way until you move the files into a new user-made folder. For this reason, you can’t rename these files, rotate pictures, open and edit a document, etc.