How to Read Zip Files on a Mac

Apple's OS X operating system opens Zip files without requiring third-party software.

Zip files are archives created by a common compression format used to reduce the size of large files including documents, images, videos and music, and store them in one location. On a Macintosh computer, open, or "unarchive" Zip files directly from the Finder. Opening a Zip file creates a folder either on your desktop or on your hard drive that contains all of the documents included in the original Zip file.

Instructions

1. Click the Finder icon on the Macintosh Dock, and locate the Zip file on your hard drive.

2. Right-click the Zip file and select "Open" from the shortcut menu to unarchive the Zip file. Alternatively, double-click the Zip file to open the compressed archive.

3. Drag and drop the files from the compressed folder to your desktop or to a new folder to save the files in a new location.

4. Drag and drop the Zip file to the Trash icon in the Dock to delete it.

References

• "Mac OS X Leopard Edition: The Missing Manual"; David Pogue; 2007
• Apple: Pro - Tips - Making ZIP Files (Compressed Files) in One Click