How To Zip Files On Windows

Zip is a file format widely used in every operating system. Data containing single or multiple files can be grouped, compressed and protected using zip.

In this guide, you will learn different methods to zip files in windows.

How to zip files in windows

Follow these steps on your Windows PC, to create zip file.

  1. Find the files which you want to gather together in a zip file.
  2. If all of the files are located at one place and you need to select them all, just press CTRL + A from keyboard or drag the mouse with left or right click. SHIFT + RIGHT CLICK is used when you want to select multiple files.
  3. After selecting your files, Left Click from mouse (make sure that the files are selected while clicking left mouse button).
  4. Point on Send to.
  5. Then click on Compressed (zipped) folder.
  6. Selected files will be added to zip file. You can change the name of the zip file by left clicking on it and then clicking on Rename.

If you want to add folder in zip file, Left Click on folder and start from step 3.

If zip file is already created, to add more files in it, just drag and drop the files in zip folder.

There are many third party applications available to zip, but the best ones are going to be part of this guide.

Create zip file using WinRAR on windows

If you are unfamiliar with WinRAR, you must install it in your windows pc. It is a light weight software used to deal with zip, RAR and some other formats.

Below is the guide to create zip file in windows using WinRAR.

  1. Select the files you need to add to zip.
  2. Right click while selecting the files.
  3. Click on “Add to Archive”.
  4. A WinRAR box will open. Mark the zip radio button.
  5. Click on OK button.

You can download and Install WinRAR from this link.

https://www.winrar.com/download.html?&L=0

Zip files using WinZip

WinZip is also a popular software to play with zip format. Here is the brief guide to make zip using WinZip.

https://www.winzip.com/win/en/

  1. Make sure that you have installed WinZip in your PC.
  2. Open it.
  3. Click on file panel to add files which you want to add to zip folder.
  4. Select file(s) from local disk, network or cloud storage.
  5. In action panel, click on Save as.
  6. Choose your path to save the zipped file.

Also, WinZip provides shortcut menu in mouse’s left click menu. So, you have to select and right click on file(s), and navigate to WinZip submenu and select zipping option.

Make a zip in windows 10

All the methods discussed before are available in windows 10 also. In addition to these, windows 10 has added shortcut in the windows explorer.

Open windows explorer and navigate to “Share” tab on the top menu (called Ribbon menu) of the explorer. Select the files you want to add to zip, then click on Zip from ribbon menu. That’s it.