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How to Zip a File in Windows XP

Compressing, or zipping, a file is the process of creating smaller versions of large files. Zipping a file has several major benefits, such as saving storage space on your computer and making it easier to send large files through email....

Author: Kareem Winters04 March 20203 minutes read

Table of Contents

Method 1 of 5:

Zip a File

Navigate to the file on your computer that you want to zip.
Right click on the file.
Point to "Send To" when the menu appears and click on "Compressed (zipped) Folder."
1. This action will zip your file and give it an extension of .zip.

Method 2 of 5:

Create a Zipped Folder

Point to a blank area on your desktop and right-click your mouse.
1. To create a zipped folder in a specific location, navigate to it using the "My Computer" icon. Open "My Computer" by clicking on its icon located on your desktop or from your Start menu.
Select "Compressed (zipped) Folder."
Type a name for the folder and press the Enter key on your keyboard to create your zipped folder.

Method 3 of 5:

Move Files to Zipped Folders

Open the zipped folder you created from your desktop or from its location in "My Computer."
Navigate to the file you want to move to the zipped folder.
Click on the file, drag it with your mouse over to the zipped folder, and release your finger from the mouse to drop it into the folder.
1. You can also right-click on your file and select "Copy." Right-click anywhere in the zipped folder. Select "Paste" to move it to the folder.
2. These processes will automatically zip any files that you move to the zipped folder.

Method 4 of 5:

Extract a Single File from a Zipped Folder

Navigate to the zipped folder and point to the file you want to extract.
Click on the file and drag it to a location outside of the zipped folder.
1. You can also right-click on the file and select "Copy." Navigate to a folder or location that is not zipped, right-click your mouse, and select "Paste."

Method 5 of 5:

Extract All Files from a Zipped Folder

Navigate to and open your zipped folder.
Select "Extract all files" from the Folder Tasks list to begin the Extraction Wizard.
Click on "Next" in the wizard and type in the name of the destination or path you want all the files to be extracted to.
1. You can also click on the "Browse" button to help you locate a destination.
Select "Extract" to begin the extraction process.
Click on the "Finish" button to view your extracted files.
1. If you do not want to view your files immediately, remove the check mark next to "Show extracted files."

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