Compress and Extract Folders in Windows 10

Compressed folders merge multiple files into a single file, compressing them so they take up less storage space. This is helpful when sharing files, as many email providers limit sending and receiving file sizes.

Compress Files or Folders

Follow these steps to compress a file or folder.

1. Click the File Explorer icon.
2. Click and drag your mouse to highlight multiple files or folders to add to a compressed folder.

   You can also click a file or folder, and then press Ctrl while clicking another file or folder to select multiple files or folders.

3. Click the Share tab.
4. Click Zip.
   

   The compressed folder appears.

   The files or folders you selected were automatically added to the new folder.

5. Type a name for the compressed folder, and then press Enter.
   

View Compressed Files

You can view a compressed folder as you would view a normal folder. You have the option to open files directly from a compressed folder or move files out of a compressed folder to save or edit them.

1. Double-click a compressed folder.
   

   The files appear in File Explorer.

2. Click to highlight a file.
   
3. Click the Extract tab.

   The Extract To group includes recently used folders.

4. Click the group's More button if the desired folder isn't listed.

   OR

   Select a folder to move your folder or file to, if listed.

   
5. Click Choose location.
   
6. Select a folder, and then click Copy.
   

Your file is extracted.

Extract a Compressed Folder

Here's how you extract all the files within a compressed folder at once.

1. Click to highlight a compressed folder.
2. Click the Extract tab.
3. Click Extract all.
   
4. Click Browse, and then select a location to extract the folder to.
5. Click Extract.
   

The compressed folder files are decompressed and copied to the specified location.