How to zip or compress files with Windows

Information

Since Windows XP, Windows has been able to handle zipped files (or compressed files as Windows calls them). It can compress one or more files or folders in to one zip file aswell as extract files and folders out of a zip file.

Zip files are advantageous as they reduce the size of the files within them (the amount the file is compressed by is different for every file), and they allow you to work with one file instead of several, especially helpful if you need to email a lot of files.

Solution

1. Highlight all the files or folders you want to include in the zip file
2. Right click any one of the selected files
3. From the menu, select send to
4. Then select compressed file
5. The file will be created, you can type a name for the file
6. Press Enter on your keyboard or click another file

Tips

Other tools such as Winzip, WinRar and 7zip offer file and folder compression along with some additional features such as password protected zip files.