To zip one or more files or folders in Windows 10, the first step is to open up File Explorer. From there, all you have to do is select your files and use either the Send To menu or the Ribbon.
You probably heard the term 'zip' many times before. It's one of the most popular file formats that allows you to compress files to save space on your hard drive or to make it easier to send them over the internet.
Typically, you would use zip for archiving files you rarely use, or to send documents and pictures via email. In addition, zip is also commonly used to compress files and make them available for download on websites or through FTP servers.
Nowadays, lots of third-party software can handle zip compression, but if you're running Windows 10, you don't need to install extra software, because the OS supports zip natively.
In this Windows 10 guide, we'll walk you through the easy steps to zip and unzip files and save space on your computer's hard drive or just to make it easier to send them.
How to zip files to save hard drive space
To compress files using zip and save hard drive space, do the following:
- Open File Explorer.
- Navigate to the location with the items you want to compress.
Right-click on an empty space, select New, and click Compressed (zipped) Folder.
- Type a descriptive name for the folder and press Enter.
- Select the files and folders you want to compress.
Right-click your selection, and choose Cut.
- Double-click the newly-created compressed folder.
Right-click it and select Paste.
You can always add more files to the zip folder by repeating steps 5, 6 and 7.
How to zip files to share with other people
If you're only trying to compress files to make it easier to send them over the internet, you can do the following:
- Open File Explorer.
- Navigate to the location of the items you want to compress.
- Select the files and folders you want to share.
Right-click your selection, select Send to, and click on Compressed (zipped) folder.
- Type a name for the compressed folder and press Enter.
Once you complete these steps, you can, for example, attach the zipped folder to email to share files with other people. After you sent the email, you can safely delete the zipped folder, because it only contains a copy of your original files.
Alternatively, you can select the items you want to send, and from the Share tab, click the Zip button to compress.
How to unzip files on Windows 10
Windows 10 supports zip natively, which means that you can just double-click the zipped folder to access its content — and open files. However, you always want to extract all the compressed files before using them.
If you don't unzip the files, you won't be able to edit and save the new content in the same document, and if you're trying to install a piece of software, the installation process won't start.
There are at least two ways to extract files from a zipped folder:
Use the Extract All wizard
Winrar Download
To extract all the files from a zipped folder, do the following:
- Right-click the compressed (zipped) folder.
Select Extract All from the context menu.
- By default, the compressed files will extract in the same location as the zipped folder, but you can click the Browse button to select an alternative location.
Check the Show extracted files when complete option.
- Click Extract.
Using the File Explorer
To extract all or individual files from a zipped folder, do the following:
- Double-click the compressed (zipped) folder.
- Select the file or files you want to extract.
Right-click your selection and click Cut.
- Navigate to the location you want to unzip the files to.
Right-click and select Paste.
Alternatively, inside the zipped folder, you can select the items you want, and on the Extract tab, select the location to extract the files. If the location isn't listed, click the More button, and then click the Choose location button to find the correct folder.
Wrapping up
Although there are tons of third-party software options designed to compress files, which can also handle additional compression file formats, you'll find that Windows 10 includes all the necessary functionalities anyone needs to zip and unzip files.
7 Zip For Windows 10 64 Bit
Do you use Windows 10 or another software to handle file compression? Let us know your preferences in the comments.
More Windows 10 resources
For more help articles, coverage, and answers to common questions about Windows 10, visit the following resources:
7-Zip requires no introduction. It’s one of the best archive software out there for Windows. The open source software supports unpacking popular formats such as ZIP, 7Z, ISO, RAR, VDI, VHD, WIM and more.
PC users often use 7-Zip to extract files downloaded from the internet. In addition to unpacking files and creating ZIP or 7Z files, the 7-Zip software can also be used to encrypt files and folders using the strong AES-256 encryption.
7-Zip supports AES-256 encryption in 7z and ZIP formats, allowing you to create password protected zip or 7z files using the AES-256 encryption method.
If you want to password protect your data without using any expensive software, you can use 7-Zip to encrypt files and folders in Windows 10. For instance, you can encrypt all files and folders on your USB drive quickly.
When you use 7-Zip to encrypt your data, 7-Zip creates a ZIP or 7Z file containing your valuable data. To open the files in the encrypted ZIP or 7Z file, you will have to enter the password.
Use 7-Zip to encrypt files and folders in Windows 10
In this guide, we will show you how to use 7-Zip to encrypt files and folders in Windows 10 and earlier versions with ease.
Step 1: First of all, download and install 7-Zip if it’s not already installed on your PC. You can get the 7-Zip from this official page.
Step 2: Navigate to the folder containing files and folders that you want to encrypt. Select the files and folders that you want to encrypt, perform a right-click on them, click 7-Zip, and then click Add to archive option.
Step 3: At the Add to Archive dialog, enter a name for the encrypted file, and click the browse button (three dots button) to choose a location to save the encrypted file.
Step 4: Select the Archive Format as zip or 7z. In the Encryption section, select Encryption method as AES-256 instead of the default ZipCrypto.
7 Zip Apk For Windows 10
Step 5: Finally, in the Enter password field, type your password that you want to use to encrypt your data. Reenter the password to confirm the password. We suggest you use a password with at least one number, at least one upper case letter, one lower case letter, and special characters to make the password strong.
Click OK button to create your encrypted ZIP or 7z file. Depending on the number of files, folders, data size, and your PC’s configuration, 7-Zip might take minutes to hours to complete the job.
You may delete files and folders that you have packed into an encrypted ZIP or 7z file if you wish to do so.
Download 7-zip For Windows 10
You can also use WinRAR program to password protect files and folders.