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2 Jun 2011 By ABradney-George

WinZip Options To Open A Zip File

2 Jun

Need To Open A Zip File? WinZip Is One Of The Best Utilities On The Market, And Here's Why.

Zip files make it easier to transfer large amounts of data from one computer to another by compressing the data in a specialized way. Often used for file sharing and archiving, these files require a specific program to open or unzip the compresses contents.

WinZip has become one of the most popular zip utility programs around, only matched in popularity by WinRAR. Since development in 1991 WinZip has developed a strong reputation for fast, efficient file compression and extraction options.

While anyone can download a zip file, a program like WinZip provides more access to the actual contents. Once downloaded and installed, the two main options users have for a zip file are:

Viewing the contents of a zip file; and
Unzipping a zip file

The first option is very simple. Users just need to double-click on the file and the contents will be displayed file-for-file. This feature is helpful when reviewing what has been zipped before continuing with file extraction. To unzip a file there are a number of steps users can take, outlined below.

Extracting Data From A Zip File With WinZip

Once users have reviewed the contents of a zip file, they may want to extract the files so that they are in a more accessible format and location. To simply unzip a WinZip file users need to open the file and select the "1-Click Unzip" option, which will open up a folder with all the extracted contents.

For more advanced options, right-click on the file, select "WinZip" and a list of options will come up. Users can then customize features such as:

The extraction location
Configuration settings; and
Encryption settings

The WinZip website also features a number of helpful tools and guides for users who are unsure of how to do something with a zip file. Once you get the hang of zip files, opening, sharing and compressing data will become an easier and more convenient process every time.