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What is a ZIP file?

A ZIP is an ARCHIVE (compressed) file, originally designed for long-term storage, taking up minimum hard-drive space.  However, Internet and Email use have increased dependency on Archive files, of which Zip is by far the most common.  Some file types compress down to as small as one-tenth the size of the original, while others do not compress very well, if at all.  Overall, most Zip files are about one-third the size of the original file(s) contained within it, and all file-names end with the suffix: .zip

Because it is compressed, the file cannot be used until it is de-compressed – this is known as UNZIPPING a file.  Usually, double-clicking on a Zip file will unzip it so that the file(s) in that archive are once again available to you in their original form – but this depends upon you having a Zip utility installed on your PC.
The most common Zip utility world-wide is WinZip, which is available in a trial version that is suitable for most uses.  You can also buy Zip utilities, and Manaccom sells TurboZip Express through the retail channel.
With the proliferation of email-carried viruses and worms, many email programs now block the attachment of executable files – it is common to attach files to emails in Zip format to get around this limitation.

If you get a Zip file as an attachment (or as a download), right-click on the attachment icon and select Save As – save it to a location where you can easily find it (the Windows Desktop is the easiest place, or you may have a 'Downloads' folder).  Next, go to that location and double-click on the file icon.  If you have a Zip utility, the file will unzip – you will be asked where you want to place the expanded file(s).  If the Zip contains just one file, unzipping to the Desktop is a good choice, but if the Zip contains many files, it would be safer to create an empty folder and unzip into that, so that the files do not become difficult for you to find among many others.  Some Zip files expand into a directory structure – there may be sub-folders as well as files.

To make a Zip file you need a Zip utility program.