How to open a .zip file – a simple guide for Windows, Mac and Gnu/Linux.

Here are some instructions for downloading and opening a .zip file on Windows, Gnu/Linux and Mac OS respectively.

Windows

1. Download the file by clicking (or double clicking) on the link.
2. Find the file, for example, it may be in your “downloads” folder.
3. Right Click on the .zip file and select “Extract All”
4. If this fails download 7-zip from https://www.7-zip.org/download.html (the 32 bit exe file should work on all windows installations) and run the installer file.
5. Once the install has completed, right click on the file, move down to the 7-zip sub-menu and select ‘extract here’.

Gnu/Linux

1. Download the file by clicking (or double clicking) on the link.
2. Find the file, for example, it may be in your “downloads” folder.
3. Right click on the zip file and select ‘Open with Archive Manager.’
4.  Click on the Extract button.                    
5.  Select the location to which you wish to extract the file and select ‘Extract.’

Mac OS

1. Download the file by clicking (or double clicking) on the link.
2. Find the file, for example, it may be in your “downloads” folder.
3. Double-click the .zip file. This should automatically activate a built-in extraction program.
4. If the above fails, head to https://www.zipeg.com/ and download the the Mac OS installer.
5. After installation, right click on the or left click whist holding down the Apple key and select open with and then select Zipeg.