Zipping a file has the potential of saving up to 80 percent or more in your hard disk space. With smaller sizes, files can be easily shared over the internet or other platforms. In addition to saving on space, zipping gives you an opportunity to encrypt a file before sending it over the internet. So, what are the magic steps on how to zip a file?
Before kicking off on how to zip files, the first thing should be answering the question, “what is a zip file?” and why exactly you need to compress zip file. A zip file can be defined as a compressed and archived data file. Since the data inside the file is compressed, the outcome has a smaller size compared to the original file. So, why do you need to zip a file? Zipping makes it easy to maintain files that fall in a similar category and makes downloading, e-mailing, storage and transportation of data more efficient. Below is a guide on how to zip files as well as zipping a folder on Windows, Mac and Android Operating Systems. A description of how to open a zip file is also in cooperated.
Zipping files on Windows
Method A: using the “Send to” option
The procedure below covers how to create a zip folder and how to create a zip file using the send to command. Do not skip any of the steps below for success.
1. Open your file explorer and navigate to the location of the files or folders you want to compress
If you can’t find the location of the files or folders, make use of the search option available on the top right corner of the file explorer. On Windows 10, there is a Cortana program found at the bottom left side of the taskbar (see the picture below) which can be of great help if you can’t trace the location of your files. Type the file or folder name on the Cortana textbox then right-click on it from the search results. Select the option “open file location” or “open folder location” if it’s a folder.
2. Select/ highlight the files or folders to be compressed
Selection of one file can be done by just clicking once on the file or folder. When it comes to multiple selections, the former method cannot work. To select files in a whole folder, just hold the CTRL key and the A key simultaneously. Alternatively, you can click on the first item then scroll down to the last item and click it while holding the SHIFT key. To select a couple of files or folders which are non-consecutive, hold the SHIFT key while clicking on the individual files or folders.
3. Right-click on the files or folders you have highlighted
By right-clicking on the files or folders, an options menu appears. Scroll down to the “send to” option and place your cursor on it so that other options appear to the right or left of the menu. If you are using a touch-screen computer, just click on the files and hold on for a few seconds and the right-click menu will appear.
Now, on the other secondary menu click on “Compressed (zipped) folder” which is a compressed zip file. A zip file folder will be formed.
4. Name the zip file
If you want to change the windows-suggested name of the zip files or folders, an option is available. The suggested name is always highlighted and you can change it by simply typing the name of your choice. If not highlighted right-click on the item you want to change its name then to “Rename” option.
Click on ENTER button to accept the zip file name. That is it, your files or folders are now compressed. The procedure on how to zip a folder or a file using a file explorer is that simple!
Method B: using the ribbon menu in file explorer
On Windows OS, a file explorer ribbon menu is available on the topmost side. The ribbon menu contains File, Home, Share and View tabs. When using this method, first follow procedure 1 and 2 in the first method. After following the first two procedures in method A, you now have highlighted files or folders which you wanted to be compressed.
Navigate to the Share tab and then click on the zip option. After that, follow the last procedure in method A. It’s worth mentioning that this method ONLY WORKS on Windows 8.1 and Windows 10. Operating Systems below windows 8.1 do not have the zip option in the Share tab of the ribbon menu.
You can also create zip files using other third-party apps like WinRAR, 7-zip, ALZip and so on. The advantage of using these archivers is that they have additional features and they have a faster speed than the Windows built-in software. You can download these programs from their official pages according to the specifications of your OS.
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Zipping files on Mac
With the built-in compressor, the procedure to make a zip file is quite easy. There is no need to download or install any extra software to compress a file, folder or multiple files and folders. Here is how exactly you can do it quickly.
Method A: File system approach
The approach file system approach method works on all types of Mac X Operating systems; therefore, you don’t have to worry.
1. Locate the file/ folder you want to zip. Mac Finder (file system) and Spotlight program are essential when it comes to locating files. Choose either Mac finder or Spotlight program for this step.
2. Right-click on the file/ folders. Upon right-clicking on the file/ folder to be zipped a secondary menu will appear. Move to the next step
3. Click on the “compress items” option. The file or the folder will be automatically zipped and saved.
4. Find the files. The newly created zip files are saved in the same directory with their original files. If a single file or folder was zipped, its original name is maintained with an appended .zip extension. For example, “name.zip”
On the other hand, if multiple files or folders were zipped, their original names are too maintained with an appended .zip extension. However, if two or more files share the same name, zip files created are named consecutively. For example, the system may name them as follows, “name.zip1”, “name.zip2”, “name.zip3” and so on.
Method B: Command line approach
Not interested in using the file system approach? You can create zip file from a command line approach too. The approach makes use of the terminal command ‘zip’ by the following:
zip archive.zip file.text
Alternatively, you can make use of the drag-drop support feature of the terminal window. Start by typing out the usual “zip” then drag and drop the files or folders you want to zip. Though most users prefer to use the Mac finder approach, it is good to know the command line alternative just in case the latter fails.
Zipping files on android
When zipping files on Android OS, you will be forced to download additional applications considering the fact that it doesn’t have the built-in zipping software. Here is the procedure to follow using one of the high rated applications on the Google Play store.
1. Download and install RAR app. Search for RAR on the Google Play store search bar. Download and install it.
2. Launch RAR. Go to your application list menu, scroll down to where RAR is and click on it so that it opens up.
3. Go to the location of the file/ folder to be zipped. If you can’t see it, a search option is available too.
4. Tick the file/ folder. To the right of the file or folder, a small box is available. A simple tap on the box will tick the file or the folder you want to zip.
5. Click on the “archiving options” button. Check the screenshot below to locate the option. It should be at the top of the application homepage with a plus sign subscript. A pop-up message will appear.
6. Change the file format from RAR to ZIP. Check for RAR, ZIP and RAR 4.x file format available from the pop-up. The application automatically suggests a RAR format so you will have to change this manually.
7. Name the file. The app suggests a name for you appended with “.zip” extension. The name can be changed easily by clicking on the text box then typing a new name.
8. Select the preferred location. RAR will save your file on the same directory with where the original file was. However, if you want to change the directory hit the browse button then select the directory.
9. Other options. You can set a password for the zip file, such that no one will be able to access the file without authorization, by hitting the set password button.
To delete the file after it has been zipped, check the “delete files after archiving” option.
10. Hit the OK button. The file will be compressed and saved. Retrieve the file from the directory you selected.
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Wow, and those are the magic procedures on how to zip a file. They are simple to understand and follow for anyone. We hope this article will really help or solve your problems. Save storage space-zip your files and folders. Good luck.