How to Compress Files and Folders in Windows 11

Edited 1 week ago by ExtremeHow Editorial Team

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Compressing files and folders is a useful practice that can help you save storage space on your computer, make file transfers more efficient, and keep your files organized. In Windows 11, Microsoft offers several options for compressing data, which can be quite useful whether you want to send large files over email, create backups, or manage disk space. This guide will take you on a detailed and detailed journey through the steps involved in compressing files and folders in Windows 11.

Understanding file compression

Before diving into the steps, it's important to understand what file compression is. File compression is the process of reducing the size of one or more files. Compressed files take up less storage space and can be transferred more quickly. There are two types of compression: lossless and lossy. However, in the context of compressing files and folders in Windows 11, we generally deal with lossless compression, which means the original data can be perfectly reconstructed from the compressed data.

Built-in compression tools: Zip files

Windows 11 has a built-in tool to compress files and folders using the ZIP format. ZIP is a very popular archive file format that supports lossless data compression. It is widely used due to its simplicity and efficiency. The integrated support for ZIP files in Windows means you don't need to install any third-party software to use this feature. Here's how you can compress files and folders into a ZIP file:

Steps to compress file/folder into zip file:

1. Select files/folders: Open File Explorer by clicking the folder icon in your taskbar or pressing the Windows key + E. Navigate to the files or folders you want to compress.
2. Right-click on the selection: Once you've selected the files or folders, right-click on the highlighted selection to open the context menu.
3. Select "Send": On the context menu, hover over the "Send" option. This will open a submenu with several options.
4. Select "Compressed (Zipped) Folder": Click "Compressed (Zipped) Folder". Windows will begin compressing the files/folders and create a new zip file in the same location as the original files.
5. Rename the ZIP file: The ZIP file will be created with a default name, usually the name of a file or folder. You can click on it to rename it as you wish.

The newly created ZIP file can now be easily managed, moved or archived, effectively reducing the storage space taken up by the original files.

Compressing files with File Explorer options

Windows 11 also allows you to compress files using another feature called NTFS Compression. This feature is available through the properties of an individual file or folder. It is more suitable for saving disk space on NTFS file systems and works behind the scenes, compressing files without creating a separate ZIP archive.

Steps for NTFS compression:

1. Go to file/folder: Open File Explorer and find the file or folder you want to compress.
2. Access the Properties: Right-click the file or folder and select "Properties" from the context menu.
3. Choose advanced options: In the Properties window, find and click the "Advanced..." button near the bottom.
4. Enable compression: In Advanced Features, check the box labeled "Compress contents to save disk space."
5. Apply the changes: Click "OK" to close the Advanced Attributes window, then click "Apply" in the Properties window to commit the changes.
6. Choose where to apply the changes: If you're compressing a folder, Windows will prompt you to choose whether to apply the changes to just the folder or to the folder, subfolders, and files. Choose your preferred option and click "OK" to proceed.

Using NTFS compression changes the way files are stored on disk, resulting in reduced disk space usage. The files appear unchanged, and Windows handles decompression seamlessly behind the scenes when you access the files.

Third-party compression tools

While Windows 11 offers excellent built-in tools for compressing files and folders, sometimes you may need more advanced features or support for other compression formats. Third-party compression tools like WinRAR, 7-Zip, and WinZip offer more features like different compression formats (e.g., RAR, 7z), password protection, and higher compression ratios.

Using 7-Zip:

Let's find out how you can use 7-Zip for file compression. First, make sure you have downloaded and installed 7-Zip from their official website. Once installed, you can follow these steps:

1. Select files/folders: Open 7-Zip File Manager from the Start Menu and navigate to the files or folders you want to compress.
2. Add to archive: Select the files/folders, then click the "Add" button at the top of the window.
3. Configure archive options: In the Add to Archive window, you can choose the settings you want, such as the archive format (for example, 7z, tar), compression level, password protection, and more.
4. Start Compression: Once you have configured the settings to your liking, click "OK" to begin the compression process.

Third-party tools often offer more versatility when compressing files, making them ideal for power users who require advanced features.

Benefits of file compression

Now that we've explored the different ways to compress files in Windows 11, it's important to understand the benefits that come with using file compression:

• Storage savings: Compressed files take up less disk space, helping you maximize your storage capacity.
• Faster file transfers: Smaller file sizes mean faster upload and download times, which is especially beneficial when sharing files over the Internet.
• Lower bandwidth usage: When files are compressed before being sent over the network, they consume less bandwidth, which can result in reduced data transfer costs.
• Ease of organization: Zipped folders can hold multiple files, simplifying organization and reducing clutter in your directories.
• Privacy and security: Compression tools often offer encryption, which you can use to password-protect sensitive files.

Things to keep in mind while compressing files

Although file compression has many benefits, it's important to note a few things:

• Compression time: The time taken to compress and decompress files may vary depending on the size of the file and the performance of your computer.
• File compatibility: Make sure the recipient of the compressed files has the necessary tools to extract them, especially if they aren't using a common format like ZIP.
• Potential data loss: Although rare, data corruption can occur, especially during transfer. Always keep a backup of important files.
• Limited effectiveness on some files: Some already-compressed file formats, such as JPEG images, do not significantly reduce their size when compressed further.

Conclusion

In short, compressing files and folders in Windows 11 is a straightforward process, greatly facilitated by built-in tools and enhanced by third-party software when needed. Whether you're deploying the native ZIP capability, using NTFS compression, or taking advantage of the advanced features of software like 7-Zip, compression can greatly enhance your file management capabilities. By arranging yourself to use these functionalities efficiently, you can reap maximum benefits in optimizing storage, improving transfer speeds, and securing your files. With careful consideration of the specific needs of your tasks, file compression can become an invaluable part of your computing toolkit.

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