Extract Zip Files
This article teaches you how to move compressed files from a compressed, or "ZIP", folder to an ordinary, uncompressed folder on your computer.
10 Second Summary
Windows - Right-click a ZIP folder, click Extract All, and click Extract.
Mac - Double-click a ZIP folder to extract its files to a normal, unzipped folder in the same directory.
Steps
On Windows
- Locate your ZIP folder. You can do so by typing its name into the Start menu's search bar and then clicking the folder.
- If you downloaded your ZIP folder from online, it's likely in the "Downloads" folder or on your computer's desktop.
- Right-click your ZIP folder. Doing this will invoke a context menu.
- Click Extract All. It's near the top of the context menu.
- Click Browse. This option is to the right of the address bar near the top of the "Extract Compressed (Zipped) Files" window.
- Select a destination folder. To do so, select a directory (e.g., Desktop) from the left-hand pane, then click a folder in the main window. If you don't want to extract to a specific folder, just select a directory.
- Click OK. This will update your folder extraction's destination.
- Click Extract. It's in the bottom-right corner of the window. Your files will extract from the ZIP folder to your selected location.
- This process may take awhile if you have large video or photo files in the ZIP folder.
On Mac
- Locate your ZIP folder. If you downloaded it from online, it's likely in your "Downloads" folder, to which you can navigate by clicking the Go tab and then selecting Downloads.
- Other likely locations of your ZIP folder include the desktop and your personal documents folder (if applicable).
- Move your ZIP folder if necessary. When you extract the files from your ZIP folder, they will appear in an ordinary folder in the same location as the ZIP folder currently resides. You can move your folder by clicking and dragging it into a different location (e.g., your desktop).
- For example, extracting from the ZIP folder on the desktop will place the unzipped folder on the desktop as well.
- Double-click your ZIP folder. Its contents will begin extracting to the current directory.
- Wait for your files to finish extracting. Depending on the size of the ZIP folder, this process' length will vary. When your files are done extracting, they will be in a typical, blue folder in the same area--and with the same name--as the ZIP folder.
- You can open the new folder by double-clicking it.
