Content

• Steps
• Method 1 of 3: Standard Program on Windows
• Method 2 of 3: Standard Program on Mac
• Method 3 of 3: WinZip (downloadable software)
• Tips
• Warnings

Archiving allows you to combine multiple files into one smaller file. Archiving is widely used when sending files by email and downloading on the Internet. Read this article to learn how to unzip or "extract" compressed files.

Steps

Method 1 of 3: Standard Program on Windows

1. 1 Double click on .zip file. Windows XP or newer has a built-in extraction program. Double clicking on the zip file will open the firmware. Instead, you can right-click the .zip file and select "Extract all"This action will also open the firmware for extraction.
   • If you have an older version of Windows than XP, it won't have a built-in extraction program. Alternatively, you will need to download an extraction program such as WinZip. Follow the instructions in this section to use WinZip.
   • You can also use the "right-click" method to extract with third-party programs by clicking "Open with" and selecting the desired one from the list of programs.
2. 2 Select the destination file. Use the "Overview"to choose where you want to save the extracted files.
3. 3 Click "Extract’. When you select the files and their location, click on the "Extract’.
4. 4 Find your files. Navigate to the folder specified in the last step, where the files you extracted will be.

Method 2 of 3: Standard Program on Mac

1. 1 Click on .zip file twice. Double-clicking on a zipped file will automatically activate the Mac's built-in extraction program and the compressed files will be extracted.
   • To select another program to extract, click on the zipped folder while holding down the "Command"(Apple). After that, a list will appear in which you need to select"To open with"and the software you prefer.
2. 2 Find your files. If you are using the default Mac program, the unzipped files will be in the same folder and with the same name as the compressed folder. If there is more than one file in the folder, they will be named sequentially - foldername1, foldername2, etc.

Method 3 of 3: WinZip (downloadable software)

1. 1 Download and install WinZip. Go to WinZip.com and download the Winzip software. Install the WinZip program.
2. 2 Open WinZip. Double click on the WinZip icon. A window with terms and conditions will appear, click "Agree".
3. 3 Select your files. Using winzip, select all the .zip files you want to unzip.
4. 4 Click the "Unzip"at the top of the window. Another window will appear, in which select the folder to extract and click "extract" (unzip).
5. 5 Find your files. Navigate to the folder of your choice and locate your already unzipped files.

Tips

• Make sure you extract the files to the correct folder.
• Other PC extractors: 7-Zip, IZArc, jZip, PeaZip, TugZip and Zipeg; and for Mac: Zipeg, MacZip, Stuffit, Unarchiver and SimplyRAR. This is an incomplete list.

Warnings

• Download WinZip or other extraction software only from trusted sources. Third party sites can populate your computer with spyware and adware.