In plain English
It puts separate items into one package so they can be handled as a single file. That package is compressed, which means it is stored in a space-saving form. It can hold files, folders, or both.
In context
Here, "ZIP file" names the export download as one compressed archive that holds the exported files or folders together.
- Situation
- Notification, privacy, data-export, and account-deletion settings
- What it communicates
- names the packaged download type for an export
Meaning limits
The term itself does not say what is inside the archive or how many separate items it contains beyond one or more.
Examples
“She packed the photos and their captions into a ZIP file instead of sending six separate files.”
“The export download arrived as a ZIP file containing the exported folders.”