Handling downloaded ZIP files

[terrypin]

I jumped from 15 years with XP to Win 10 on this new PC a few months ago. One thing I'm still a bit uncomfortable with is dealing with ZIP files downloaded in my browser (Firefox in my case, but I assume it's similar with others).

In XP I simply went to my \Downloads folder, right clicked the ZIP and chose 'Extract...', and specified the target folder. Win 10 instead 'previews' the apparently already extracted files, and it's at that point that I'm unsure exactly how to proceed.

It's probably embarrassingly obvious, but can someone step me through the detailed steps please.

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Terry, East Grinstead, UK

 

[Tim Locke]

Now, in the downloads folder, using file explorer, when you click on a compressed file you will see the bar at the top will change and give you an option to Extract. Hit that and there will be a dialog box asking for a destination folder.

 

[davehc]

A couple of options there, Terry.

You can select the expanded items and move, or copy them to another folder, or
You can select an .exe to run it from what you see in the expanded folder.
The latter can sometimes lose it's path, so, if you are intent on using the program, it is often a better option to transfer it to another folder before running.

 

[Tim Locke]

I agree with Dave. Just selecting a .exe to run will probably be fine but the built in decompress isn't clever enough that if it finds a .dll in the compressed folder that it needs to deal with that as well. Best to let Windows decompress the whole thing to a folder and run from there.

 

[terrypin]

Thanks all, appreciate the fast feedback.

I'm OK when working directly in my \Downloads folder. And usually have no problem when installing programs immediately after download, from the Firefox icon. It was handling 'expanded' folders of data files that gave me pause. But reckon I have the hang of it now thanks.

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Terry, East Grinstead, UK