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To reduce the size of your files or folders with the ZIP format or, on the contrary, to bring them back to their original size and access their content, Windows Vista has an integrated tool to compress and uncompress files.
This tool is simply and easy to use.
The following steps explain how to compress and uncompress a file or folder.

>> STEP 1/7
To compress a file:
Right click on the file to be compressed.
In the popup menu, click on Send to, then on Compressed (zipped) Folder.



>> STEP 2/7
The file is compressed in a folder that bears the same name and is in the same location as the source file.



>> STEP 3/7
To uncompress a ZIP file:
Select the compressed file, then right click.
In the popup menu, click on Extract All....

>> STEP 4/7
An Extract Compressed (Zipped) folders window appears.
Click on Browse..., then browse your hard drive to search for the destination folder and extract your file.



>> STEP 5/7
The Select a destination window appears.
Select the destination folder, such as Windows Office, then click on OK.



>> STEP 6/7
The Extract Compressed (Zipped) folders window appears again.
The path for the destination folder now appears.
Click on Extract.



>> STEP 7/7
The destination folder appears in a new window.
The file is uncompressed and you may now access its content.



Compressing a file is useful when you want to send it by e-mail.