Creating a compressed (or .zip) folder allows for the file to be transferred to a server or sent via email more quickly. This is due to the file size being reduced upon compression. It also allows for multiple files to be contained in a single archive which makes uploading to a server or sending via email more convenient. The terms zip folder, zip file, and zip archive are used interchangeably.
Windows has a built in compression program which easily allows you to create zipped files/folders. NOTE: If you have installed an additional compression program (such as WinZip or WinRAR) on your computer, you may have to uninstall that program to follow the tutorial below, OR simply visit that program's web site for directions on how to use that specific compression program.
Right click on the desktop, choose "New", slide your cursor over and choose the "Compressed (zipped) Folder" option as shown below.
A new zip file icon will appear on your desktop (as shown in the first image below). Rename this folder to whatever you'd like, for this example we'll name it "csc101" (as shown in the second image below).
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To add files to the zipped folder, open your csc101 zip folder by double clicking it. Drag the file(s) that you wish to add into the window (as shown below).
You may now close the window; you have successfully created a zipped folder called csc101.zip which, in this example, contains the file MyInfo.doc
To convert an existing folder into a zipped folder, first make sure you've got an existing folder containing one or more files on your desktop. In this example we'll use the folder called "assign1" containing the files MyInfo.doc and MyImage.bmp.
Right click on the "assign1" folder on the desktop, choose "Send To", slide your cursor over and choose the "Compressed (zipped) Folder" option as shown below.
A new zipped file icon (assign1.zip) will appear on your desktop as shown in the image below.
You have successfully created a zipped folder called assign1.zip which, in this example, contains the files MyInfo.doc and MyImage.bmp. You may add files to the zipped folder by opening the folder and dragging in the additional files. You may delete files from the zipped folder by opening the folder, then right clicking the file you wish to delete, then choose delete as shown below.
To properly access files from a zipped folder, the file must first be extracted from the folder. To do this, open the zipped folder "assign1.zip". Click the "Extract All Files" link on the left (as shown below) OR simply drag the files from the zipped folder to your desktop.
If you chose the "Extract All Files" link, the extraction wizard will appear, choose next to continue. Browse for your desktop (or another location in which you'd like to extract your files to), click next. Finally click finish and your files will appear in the location that you extracted them to.