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:
- Select/highlight the file.
- control key-click or right mouse-click*
- 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
- Locate the file or folder that you want to compress.
- 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:
- Place all of the items to be compressed into a new folder
- Select/highlight the folder
- control key-click or right mouse-click*
- 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
- Locate the file or folder that you want to compress.
- 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.
- Open My Computer
- Double-click a drive or folder.
- On the File menu, point to New, and then click Compressed (zipped) Folder.
- Type a name for the new folder, and then press ENTER.
- 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.