How do I open .zip files?
To open .zip files, make sure to use a computer and not a mobile device (iPhone, iPad, etc). If you only have a mobile device you should be able to open zip files without any third party apps, but you can also find an unzipping app in the app store.
On a PC (Windows 7,8,10):
- Locate the zipped folder that you want to unzip (extract) files or folders from.
- Do one of the following:
- To unzip a single file or folder, open the zipped folder, then drag the file or folder from the zipped folder to a new location.
- To unzip all the contents of the zipped folder, press and hold (or right-click) the folder, select Extract All, and then follow the instructions.
On a Mac:
- Uncompress (expand) an item: Double-click the .zip file.
Why do we use .zip files?
- Compressed files take up less disk space than uncompressed files, so compressing is useful for making backup copies of your data or for sending information over the Internet.