A compressed zip file or folder allows you to archive or group multiple files into one single.
If you want to send a group of Word documents to someone, for example, you can easily send them as one single file. You can do it if you archive them instead of attaching them to the email one by one.
It will help you save a lot of time and make your email to look neat. Zip helps to compress the files and folders and reduce how much space they occupy on your computer.
It will also help reduce how much data you will have to spend to send the email. A lighter, compressed file will take a shorter period of time to be uploaded when attaching it to an email.
We already have an article about how to open a zip file and the best zip openers.
How to create a zip file
In Windows 10 and older
- You need to first select the files that you desire to add to the .zip
- Then right clock on the particular files and a drop-down menu will show up.
- Scan through the menu and click select Send to.
- Another menu will show against this selection.
- Click on Compressed (Zipped) folder on the new drop-down menu that appears against Send to.
- Once you have done the above, a zipped will show up. you can start by first changing the name of the new to something that will help you to remember it.
After changing the name of it, you can then drag all the files you had earlier selected to the new one.
If you want to add more than one to the new zip, it is better to select all the files to be added at once and drag them together to the new.
on Mac desktop and iphone
The steps below will guide you on the creation of a .zip on macOS.
Step 1: Select the particular file that you want to add to the new zip just as you did earlier
Step 2: Right click on the selected files and a menu will appear exactly as it was the case when creating in Windows operating system.
There are times, however, that the menu may not appear because right-clicking is not enabled; in this case, you can reedy the situation by holding the Control key on your keyboard. And then clicking the mouse at the same time. The menu will undoubtedly appear this time.
Step 3: Once the menu appears, scan through it and look for Compress. If you want to add 10 items or files to the new zip, for example, the information on the drop-down menu will appear as “Compress 10 items”
Step 4: After doing this, a .zip will automatically appear and the file will be named Archive.zip by default.
Step 5: You can go ahead to change the default name to any other name that will help you to easily remember the contents of the new .zip.
After creating it in macOS, you will not be able to add a new file to the existing ones. If you need to add more files, your only alternative is an entirely new zip. Then add all the files you intend to add.
in Outlook to email for photos or other
If you want to sent zipped files to email with outlook just do this:
- Open Outlook
- Go to the files folder.
- Select the files you will attach.
- Then, right click and go to Send to > Compressed (zipped) folder
- Send the email in Outlook with the attachment.
How to create a password protected zip file
If you want to restrict access to the content of .Zip on your PC, then it is better to password-protect that particular file. It will help to keep out unauthorized persons from accessing the contents.
This is very important if you are using a shared computer or data server. You can protect compressed .zip files using password on both macOS and Windows operating system. The process is very easy.
You can carry out the basic password protection without the need for any additional software. But you will need to get external software if you need to carry out other special functions that are not accessible on your PC.
The instructions below will guide you on how you make a password protected zip.
Ensure you have winzip or winrar installed.
Step 1: First of all, right-click on the particular Zip that you want to protect with password.
Step 2: A short menu will appear after right-clicking on the zip. Check for Properties on the menu and click on it.
Step 3: When the Properties page opens, look for the tab for General and locate Advanced under this tab. Click on Advanced and the Advanced Attribute dialog box will come up.
Step 4: Scan through the Advanced Attribute dialogue box to locate Encrypt content to secure data. Once you locate this, click on the check box opposite it.
Step 5: After that, click on OK to close the Advanced Attributes dialogue box. Next, save the new change in the property of the file and then click on OK.
This will automatically apply the change. You can activate the password for the subfolders of the .zip or for the selected folder alone if you like.
After you have followed the steps above, you will see a padlock displayed on the file icon. It indicates that the file is now password-protected.
Facts about password protection
You will still be able to access the password-protected file without you being asked to provide the password. It is also possible to display the file without any issue on your computer.
The password protection means that only you will be able to access that file once you log into your computer system.
It means that any other person will be required to provide a password before they can be allowed to access any of the password protected zip files.
If you want to forward the password protected file to someone via the internet, you will need to use a compression program to do that with an encryption feature.
Creating a Zip Folder
You can create a new folder or use an existing one.
In Windows
- Select the folder
- Right Click on it
- Select send to
- Click on Compressed folder
In MAC
- Ctrl + click in the folder.
- Click on Compress.