How To ZIP and UNZIP Files And Folders On Mac

Normally the compressed files are taking less disk space than the compressed files. Therefore compressing is always making it useful to create backup copies of the data in order to send information over the internet. On your Mac device, any user can follow up on the following functions.

  • Compress a file or folder
  • Control-click it or tap it using your two fingers. Then by the shortcut menu choose the compress option.
  •  When you compress a single item, the compressed file is holding the file name as the name of the original item with the .zip extension. If the user is compressing multiple items the compressed file is holding the file name as Archive.zip.
  • Unzip a compressed item

Double-tap on the .zip file. Usually, the unzipped item appears in the same file as the .zip file. Sometimes users find it unable to open ..zip files make sure that you have enough space on your device. If you find any difficulties opening a zip file that you have received from someone else, surely that might be a problem with the file. Ask that person to send the file again.

That is how any mac device user can zip and unzip folders on the Mac. The folders can zip or unzip by making use of the Archive Utility available in macOS Monterrey from Mac OS X Mountain Lion. Usually, As Archive utility is a OS core service, Apple conceals it.  But also makes it convenient to compress and decompress files and folders by using the Finder.

Create One Zip File on Mac

  • Zipping and Unzipping a single file or folder allows Finder to enter the Archive Utility on Macs. Follow the below procedure.
  • Open Finder. Then go to the file or the folder that you want to work with.
  • Then control-click or right-click on the required item. Menu will open and select the item name.How to zip and unzip files and folders on Mac
  • Then find the zipped version of the file. You don’t find it difficult to find, it is located in the location of the original file. The original filename will also be available in the zipped one.  The file is named with the .zip extension.

Compress Multiple Files or Folders

Archiving several files and folders is similar to archiving a single one. The filename on the zip file will be the only difference. Follow the given steps to zip multiple files and folders.

  • Go to the folder that includes all the files and folders that you are going to archive.
  • Pick the items that you need to contain in the compressed file. Then shift-click to select the range of the files or command-click to select nonadjacent items.
  • Control-click or right-click on any of the items. Then select the Compress option in the menu.How to zip and unzip files and folders on Mac OS
  • Find the archived items in a separate file named Archive.zip. That is the same as the original file. There is no difference between them.

Note that if the device contains a file called Archive.zip already the other compressed files are holding the names such as Archive2.zip, Archive3.zip, Archive4.zip, and so on.

Apart from these, the mac device users can use some other tools for archive management on Mac. The built-in archiving system can be used to compress and decompress files and folders available in macOS and OS X.  in such cases also there are some other apps available. Quickly search on Mac App Store in order to find more than 50 apps for archive management. The following 

third-party tools that can use to archive management.

  • The Unarchiver
  • WinZip
  • Mr.Zipper
  • Keka
  • BetterZip 5

 By using the given steps you can perform zip and unzip functions on Mac devices.

ZArchiver