MY CARTHow to Unzip Files in File Explorer in Windows 11: Video Lesson
This video lesson, titled “How to Unzip Files within File Explorer in Windows 11: A Windows 11 Training Tutorial,” shows you how to unzip a zipped file within File Explorer in Windows 11. This video lesson is from our complete Windows tutorial, titled “Mastering Windows Online Made Easy.”
Overview:
Why Unzip a Zipped File in Windows?
You can unzip a compressed file in the File Explorer window to extract its contents. Extracting a zipped file restores the files it contains so you can use and modify them normally. Windows 11 lets you extract zipped files using several simple methods.
How to “Unzip” or Extract a Zipped File in Windows 11:
To extract a zipped file in Windows 11, locate the zipped file in the main pane of the File Explorer window and then click it to select it. Then click the “Extract all” button in the command bar to open the “Extract Compressed (Zipped) Folders” dialog box. This dialog box lets you choose where to place the extracted files.
Alternatively, you can extract a zipped file by right-clicking it. In the menu that appears, click the “Extract All…” command to open the same “Extract Compressed (Zipped) Folders” dialog box. This method performs the same action and may be quicker for some users.
In the “Extract Compressed (Zipped) Folders” dialog box, the “Files will be extracted to this folder” field shows the location where the files will be placed. To choose a different destination, click the “Browse…” button to open a “Select a destination” dialog box. In this dialog box, select the folder to use and then click the “Select Folder” button to confirm your choice.
To display the extracted files after the process is complete, ensure the “Show extracted files when complete” checkbox is selected. Then click the “Extract” button to extract the files to the selected location.
How to View the Content of a Zipped File without Extracting It:
You can also view the contents of a zipped file directly in File Explorer without extracting it. When you open a zipped file, its contents appear in the main pane, similar to a normal folder. However, these files are still compressed and are not yet fully available for editing.
If you open a file directly from a zipped folder, Windows typically opens it as a temporary copy. These files may not allow you to save changes back into the zipped folder. To work with files normally, you should extract them first.
How to “Unzip” or Extract Specific Files from a Zipped Folder:
To extract specific files from a zipped folder, open the zipped folder and then select the files you want to extract. Click the “Copy” button in the command bar, navigate to the destination folder, and then click the “Paste” button to place the files into that location. This action copies the files out of the compressed folder and makes them usable in their new location.
How to Add Files to an Existing Zipped Folder:
You can also copy files into an existing zipped folder. To do this, copy files from another location and then paste them into the zipped folder in File Explorer. Windows then adds the files to the zipped folder and compresses them automatically.
