What is a Zip File?

A ZIP file is a compressed folder containing multiple files. It allows you to transfer many files at once, and takes up less storage space than the files would if they were not compressed. It’s also an easy way for us to distribute many files together, like discounted bundles.

Both Windows and Mac OSX are able to open and uncompress ZIP files without additional software. iPhones and iPads will require an additional app.

Here’s how to open a ZIP file that you’ve downloaded a Zip file from Top Teaching Tasks.

Opening a Zip file using Microsoft Windows

1. Right-click on the unopened ZIP folder.
2. Choose “Extract All” from the menu that opens.
3. Choose a destination. This is the place where you want to keep the unzipped files. You can choose “My Documents,” for example.
4. Click “Extract.”

You can also locate the file and extract it after downloading from Google Chrome by following these steps:

1. After downloading the file, locate it using the download bar at the bottom of the Google Chrome browser, and click to open the Extraction Tool.
2. Click on the button at the top of the page that says “Extract All.”
3. After extraction is complete, a new folder window will open containing the files inside the ZIP. If you see a folder named _MACOSX, you can delete or ignore it. Those files are created when the ZIP is made on a Mac, and are not used by Windows.

For further information, see the Microsoft help guide here.

If your computer runs Mac OSX: