How to Compress a Folder on Mac

If you're looking for an efficient way to send or store large files, compressing them is a great option. In this article, we'll show you how to compress a folder on your Mac.

One of the simplest ways to compress a folder on a Mac is by using the 'Compress' feature in Finder. To do this, select all the files you want to compress and right-click (or Ctrl-click) on them. Select 'Compress items' from the dropdown menu, and all the selected files will be compressed into a single ZIP file.

You can also create a new folder with only the files you want to compress, hold down the Command key, and then click on each file to select it. Right-click (or Ctrl-click) on the folder and select 'Compress items' to compress the entire folder.

When creating a ZIP file, you'll need to make sure all the files are contained in the same folder. This is because ZIP files can only contain files from one location. You can change the name of the compressed file by right-clicking (or Ctrl-clicking) on it and selecting 'Rename'.

ZIP files are lossless, meaning that while the file size is reduced, the file itself isn't affected. The process of compressing a file or folder is called 'lossless data compression'. With redundant data removed, the resulting ZIP file needs less storage space and can be easily shared.

In addition to compressing individual files, you can also use ZIP files to encrypt private data before sending it online. Many email clients won't allow you to send huge files, but with ZIP files, you can share large groups of files or even massive single files.

ZIP is one of the most common file formats for compression, along with RAR and 7-ZIP. However, ZIP is widely supported across different devices and platforms.

In summary, compressing a folder on your Mac is a straightforward process that can help you save disk space and share large files efficiently. With this guide, you'll be able to create ZIP files quickly and easily using Finder's 'Compress' feature.

How to compress a folder on mac