How to Open a Zip File

For learning how to open a zip file, you don't have to do a lot of hard work. Do you know that for opening zip files while using any of the Windows operating systems, like Windows ME or its subsequent editions, (Windows XP, Windows Vista and Windows 7) you won't even require a third-party software. The process can be simply done, in a few steps.

About the Zip File Format
The zip file format is a data compression and archive format. More than one file can be stored using this format, by compressing its size. This format was first created by Phil Katz for PKZIP in 1986. In versions of Windows after 1998, Windows has started including support for the zip file format. Apple has included the built-in functionality for opening zip files in the Mac OX X 10.3 and later. Some of the common usages of this file format are in Java JAR files, Winamp and Windows Media Player skins, addons for Mozilla Firefox, etc. Besides, the most common application of this file format is when you want to email a series of related documents. You simply zip them into the zip file format, and send this zipped file.

Ways to Open Zip Files

Using Third Party Software
You simply need to install a third party software that allows you to do so. WinZip and WinRar are the two most popular software that are used. Once you install any of these software in your computer, you can simply right click on a zipped folder and check out to extract the files. You will also be provided with options like 'extract to' some particular folder or 'extract here'. When using WinRar, you also have the option for not only opening zip files, but also rar files.

Windows
To open a zip file on Windows, you can right click on the zip file and click explore from the menu that comes up. Then press Ctrl+A (select all the files), and copy them to another folder. This is probably the simplest way to open zip files in Windows, without using any third party software. In earlier version of Windows, undoubtedly you had to use the third party software to get your task done. But as already mentioned, in the latest versions of Windows after Windows ME, Microsoft has included the in-built functionality to extract these files.

Linux
To open a zip file in Linux, you can use the unzip command. It is generally available in your Linux distribution package. However, if somehow you have not installed this utility, you can use the tar command. The application of this command is simple. Simply browse into the folder where the zip file is and type the command tar -xvf nameoffile.zip.

So this was all on how to open a zip file. You must have already realized by now, that opening zip files is not that great a deal.