How To Uncompress Files in Mac OS X

Often when you download a file it first has to be uncompressed. Larger files are made smaller by compressing them so that you can download them in less time. They are usually placed in “.zip” files. In most cases, all you really need to do is double-click on a file to open it. However, it some rare cases you may need to download additional software to open them.

Luckily, this software is free and easy to use.

One of the most common Applications to use with zip files is called Stuffit Expander. You can download it through a web browser (http://www.stuffit.com/mac-expander.html), or from the Mac App Store if you’re running Mac OS X 10.6.6 or later. Of course, there are other options available to decompress files. This is just one example of Applications you can use.

By simply double-clicking on the Test File.zip…

…The Test File folder appears.

After decompressing a ZIP file, the original ZIP file will not be deleted automatically. You may wish to delete the ZIP file, as it will just be taking up space on your computer.

Now conversely, if you wish to compress a file or folder into a zip file, you can just right-click on the file or folder and click on the option to “Compress (name of file)”. This will place a zip file right next to the original, and automatically give it the same name.

It really is as simple as that! In previous versions of Mac OS X it may have been more difficult for users familiar with the Windows operating system to decrompress and open ZIP files. However it really is no different than what you’re used to doing on a Windows machine.