How to compress a file.

Summary:

File compression allows a person to minimize the space required to send/transmit a single or group of files. If you just have a few files, you may normally just send them as is…without compression. If the files are large (say 100mb+) or you have multiple files (fonts, images, etc…), you are advised to compress them into a single archive (ZIP) for the most efficient transmission.

I have one LARGE file, how do I compress that?

On a Mac:

  1. Select/highlight the file.
  2. control key-click or right mouse-click*
  3. Select the ‘Compress…’ option

File will be copied to a .zip file (the filename will be the same, just with a .zip extension)
*You can also access the ‘Compress’ command from the Finder–>File menu.

On Windows:
To compress (or zip) a file or folder

  1. Locate the file or folder that you want to compress.
  2. Right-click the file or folder, point to Send to, and then click Compressed (zipped) folder. A new compressed folder is created in the same location. To rename it, right-click the folder, click Rename, and then type the new name.

I have multiple files, how do I compress them?

On a Mac:

  1. Place all of the items to be compressed into a new folder
  2. Select/highlight the folder
  3. control key-click or right mouse-click*
  4. Select the ‘Compress…’ option

Folder will be copied to a .zip file (the folder name will be called ‘Archive.zip’)
*You can also access the ‘Compress’ command from the Finder–>File menu.

On Windows:
To compress (or zip) a file or folder

    1. Locate the file or folder that you want to compress.
    2. Right-click the file or folder, point to Send to, and then click Compressed (zipped) folder. A new compressed folder is created in the same location. To rename it, right-click the folder, click Rename, and then type the new name.

    Windows XP compression for older systems.

    1. Open My Computer
    2. Double-click a drive or folder.
    3. On the File menu, point to New, and then click Compressed (zipped) Folder.
    4. Type a name for the new folder, and then press ENTER.
    5. Drag items into this folder and they will be compressed.

    Note:

    • To open My Computer, click Start, and then click My Computer.
    • You can also create a zipped compressed folder by right-clicking the desktop, pointing to New, and then clicking Compressed (zipped) Folder.
    • You can identify compressed folders by the zipper on the folder icon.
    • If you share compressed folders with users on other computer systems, you may want to limit the compressed folder names to eight characters with a .zip file name extension.