Ever heard of ZIP files? If No, then you are in the right place.
In this article, I will tutor you on how to create a ZIP file in windows. Also, I will explain to you the advantages and disadvantages of ZIP files.
But if you are completely a newbie regarding ZIP files, then I have explained the meaning of the ZIP file in short.
What is a ZIP file?
A ZIP is an archived file format where one or many files are compressed into a single folder. It’s a file format where the larger files and folder are compressed into a single ZIP file, which is of less file size.
Not only files and folders, images, and videos can also be compressed. Compression can be both online and offline. Sites like image compressor allow you to compress images online with decent quality.
Steps to create a ZIP file in windows
The phrase without any software means using the tools provided by the windows operating system. You can create a ZIP file without using any software or third-party apps.
Follow the below-mentioned steps sequentially to create a zip file in windows 10.
- Select the files you want to compress.
- Right-click on your mouse.
- Click on send to.
- Click on the Compressed (Zipped) folder.
- To rename the newly created ZIP file, Right-click on your mouse and click on rename.
- To add another file to the compressed folder, drag and drop the files to the ZIP folder. (As shown in the screenshot below)
Steps to unzip the compressed folder
- Navigate to the ZIP file.
- Right-click on the ZIP folder.
- Click on Extract here.
Steps to create a ZIP file in Windows using WinRAR
You might have probably heard the software WinRAR. It is a file archiver for windows. In short, it is software that can be used to compress files and folders.
There are tons of benefits of using WinRAR. It has extra features and tools, which makes it more usable.
So it is beneficial using WinRar over the compression tool, which is in-built in windows.
- Select the files you want to compress.
- Right-click on your mouse and click on add to archive.
- Set the file name and file format; RAR, RAR4, or ZIP. (Generally ZIP)
- Click on browse and select the file location where you want to save the ZIP folder. To create the ZIP folder on the same location ( where your files are), click ok.
- Congratulations! Your files are now compressed.
WinRAR supports all popular compression formats (RAR, ZIP, CAB, ARJ, LZH, ACE, TAR, GZip, UUE, ISO, BZIP2, Z, and 7-Zip).
Also, there are time-saving features like compress and email. You can instantly compress a file and send it via mail.
Steps to add password on ZIP files in Windows 10
Setting a password to the ZIP files makes the data more secure. It can prevent a middle-man from accessing your valuable information.
Follow the below-mentioned steps to add a password in the ZIP file.
- Select the files you want to compress.
- Right-click on your mouse and click on add to archive.
- Click on set password.
- Enter the password you want to set and click ok.
- Now, click ok.
- Now, the password has been set on the ZIP file.
Advantages of compressed ZIP folder
- Increased computing efficiency.
- Instant file transfer.
- Improvised file honesty.
- It can be easily shared via Emails.
- It can be made more secure by adding a password.
- Encrypts the private data while sending it through the internet.
Disadvantages of Compressed ZIP folder
There aren’t such disadvantages of the Compressed ZIP folder, but compressing a corrupted file can damage other files.
Also, if a single file is compressed more than one time simultaneously, it may face error, and your sensitive data can be disclosed easily.
Also, compressing files like photos and videos can deteriorate the quality. Though the compressed quality is negligible by our eyes, it may look quite noisy when you put it on the internet.
FAQ on ZIP file compression
WinRAR uses a well-defined algorithm to encrypt the data. It can be termed similar to a Facebook account’s password. So use a strong password to make it more secure. Since it isn’t an open-source program, it’s almost impossible to crack WinRAR encryption.
No, WinRAR is a legitimate file archiver developed by Eugene Roshal. It is used to compress files and folders. WinRAR has both a free and paid version and is a trustable application.
Yes, WinRAR is free, but it has a paid version too. But you won’t find anything different using the paid version. These are the pricing list of WinRAR software based on the number of users.
| Number of users | Price Excluding VAT |
| 2-9 | 21.00$ per user |
| 10-24 | 16.00$ per user |
| 25-49 | 13.00$ per user |
| 50-99 | 10.00$ per user |
| 100-199 | 8.00$ per user |
| 200-499 | 7.00$ per user |
| 500-999 | 6.00$ per user |
Conclusion
Keeping our data secure and sound is always the main priority. Compressing the files makes it easier. And saving the disk space is at the top for me, which is solved after compressing the files.
By now, you have learned a lot from this article. I am sure that now you are aware of the advantages and disadvantages of WinRAR.
So if you successfully created the ZIP file on your windows computer, then a huge thumbs up for you. Also comment down, “Yes, I did it,” I’ll be happy to know that.
