With the necessary knowledge, you can create a zip file under MacOS without additional programs. Your files are then compressed and stored in an archive.
Creating a Zip File on MacOS
With a zip file you can, for example, combine ten different text documents into one zip file. The archive then only takes up a fraction of the storage space that the ten files would use without compression. To do this, proceed as follows:
- Mark all files that you want to combine into a zip file and open the context menu with the right mouse button.
- Then click on the “(#) Compress Objects” entry.
- In the same folder you will now find the zip file called “Archive.zip”. Of course you can change the name as you wish.
- ZIP files can usually be created and unpacked without additional software. This makes ZIP files universal and user-friendly.
- By the way, ZIP is a widely used format that is supported by many programs and platforms. There is high interoperability, so files can be opened easily regardless of the operating system.
- However, you should note that if the ZIP file becomes corrupted, all of the files it contains may become unusable. Other archive formats are sometimes more robust and offer greater error tolerance.
- The ZIP format can be inefficient when compressing very large files. Other formats such as 7z are more suitable in these cases as they can compress larger files more quickly and effectively.
Advantages of a zip file on MacOS
You will see an advantage in the zip file if you want to send a file that is too large for the email. With the zip file, the message literally shoots through the internet. There are other benefits too.
- ZIP files reduce file size through compression, which saves storage space on your computer or in the cloud and shortens transfer times.
- ZIP files can be used to protect data with a password. This increases security, especially for confidential information.