Click that, and your compressed file will save to your desktop.Īnother way to zip files on Windows is to select the files you want compressed and, in the “Share” tab of File Explorer, locate and click the “Zip” button. In the 'Send To” menu, you should see the “Compressed Folder” option. Next, right-click that folder, and then scroll to the “Send To” option. First, make sure all the files you’re compressing are in one folder. 'Send To' is a similar process for Microsoft users. It’s the same process if you only want to compress one file-right-click on it and select “Compress. When they’re all selected, right-click and select 'Compress items.” All items will compress into a single ZIP file, called “archive.zip.” You can change the name by right-clicking the file and selecting Rename.

To do this, hold down the Command key and then click on whichever files you want zipped.

You may only want to compress certain files in a folder but not the entire folder. zip file will save in the same location of the original folder. You can then right-click or Ctrl-click that folder and select “Compress Items.” The. Create a new folder with only the files you wish to compress. If you’re compressing many files together on a macOS, you’ll need to make sure they’re contained in the same folder. You can also use ZIP files to encrypt private data before sending it online. So file compression is often seen as one of the best solutions for sending bigger data. A lot of email clients won’t allow you to send huge files. ZIP files can be useful if you’ve got a large group of files or even one massive file that you need to share. There are other formats, like RAR and 7-ZIP, but ZIP is the most common.

Lossless meaning that while the file size is reduced, the file itself isn't affected. The process is called “lossless data compression”. With redundant data removed, they need a lot less data to store and share. When a file or folder is zipped, its contents are compressed. We will also offer methods for file storage and sharing that are more efficient and reliable.Ī ZIP file is one or more compressed files together in one location. We’ll explain how to zip files for Mac and Windows users. The process for creating a ZIP file or folder is different depending on what device you’re using.

ZIP files are one of the most popular ways to save disk space and send large files and folders to other computers.

How to extract a zip file on mac