What is a zip file?

Default icon of zip file in Windows 11

  • Zip is an archive file format that supports lossless data compression.
  • Zip file may contain one or more files or directories that may have been compressed.
  • Zip files generally use the file extensions .zip or .ZIP.
  • They cannot be directly used by GIS software such as ArcGIS Pro.

How to zip a File (Method 1)

  • Right-click on the file you want to zip such as a word document.

  • Select Compress to... and then choose ZIP File.

How to zip a File (Method 2)

  • Right-click and select New.

  • Choose Compressed (zipped) Folder.

  • Drag the files you want to zip into this new zipped folder.

How to unzip a file

  • Right-click on the zip file.

  • Select Extract All....

  • Choose the destination location (you can use the default).

  • Click Extract.

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