How To Zip Files On MacOS

MacOS provides built-in compression utility to create zip files. You need not install additional software to complete basic compression.

But to perform some extra tasks, you may need to have software like WinZip or WinRAR.

In this guide, we will provide different ways to zip files on MacOS using default as well as third party methods.

How to Zip files on MacOS by built in method

This method can be used to zip files and folders or both of these.

  1. Locate the files or folders you want to archive using Mac Finder.
  2. Select the files you want to zip, and right click on their selection.
  3. Select Compress Items.
  4. Zip file is created and save in the current working directory.

If single file is zipped, a .zip extension is added to the name of the file. If multiple files are zipped, “Archive” will be the name of the zip file, and upon creation of multiple zips in the same directory their name will increment as “Archive 2” and so on.

How to zip files on MacOS using command line

If you want to work like a pro and dislike using Mac Finder method to make zip file, try following syntax on command line.

zip archive.zip filename

Don’t forget to add extension to your filename.

You can also do it by typing “zip” and dragging files to terminal to compress them.

Additional useful zip command options

  • Recursively archive an entire directory
    zip -r archive.zip directory/
  • Same as above but using the most aggressive compression strategy and deleting original files
    zip -r9m archive.zip directory/
  • Password protect zip file. Please note that the password protection is weak and can be quite easily cracked.
    zip --password PASSWORD archive.zip filename1.txt filename2.txt

How to create zip files on MacOS using WinZip

Now, is the turn for most popular tools to become part of our guide. Before starting these steps, make sure that you have installed WinZip application on your Mac.

  1. Open WinZip.
  2. An empty zip file named Untilled.zip will be created. Drag and drop files you want to zip. Or you can click on add and then choose location to select files to zip.
  3. You can also encrypt the zip file with password.
  4. Click on zip.
  5. Share the zip file on email, cloud etc.

Other MacOS Zip Alternatives

Another app which gives great user experience is izip. Download from link below:

https://www.izip.com/izip.dmg

It currently supports zip, ZIPX, TAR, RAR, 7Zip, Tar.GZ with more to be added with future updates.

Its features are:

  • Easy to use
  • Support encryption
  • Regular updates
  • Archive assistance
  • Sharing securely
  • Treat Archive files as removable storage

Zip file created with any software can be opened by any other software that supports zip file format. So, there is no restriction to zip and unzip using same method.