How to use the create zip file online
- Choose files or drop them on the box. To keep a folder structure, use Add a folder.
- Check the list. Use Up and Down to change the order and Remove to take a file out.
- Enter a ZIP file name and choose the compression. Leave the box ticked to store already compressed files, such as photos and PDFs, as they are.
- Press Create ZIP and download. The message gives the number of files, the size and how much smaller it is than the originals.
Worked example
Six files named readme.txt, docs/café 日本.txt, docs/readme.txt, readme.txt (again), photo.jpg and empty.txt go into one ZIP. The second readme.txt is renamed readme (2).txt so nothing is overwritten, the folder docs is kept, and the file with accents and Japanese characters keeps its name. The text file readme.txt, which repeats a sentence 200 times, is compressed, while photo.jpg is stored as it is.
The result was opened by Python's zipfile module, which tested every file without errors and read the same names and contents back, and also by a second ZIP reader.
What the tool does
A ZIP file bundles files into one download, usually compressing them. The tool reads the files you choose in your browser, builds a standard ZIP and saves it, without sending anything to a server. Names are cleaned so that an archive cannot contain parts like ../ that point outside the folder when it is opened, and two files with the same name get a number added to the second one.
Compression levels run from none to smallest. Text compresses well. Photos, videos, PDFs, Office files and other already compressed formats gain almost nothing, so by default they are stored as they are, which is faster. The limits are 25 MB per file, 100 MB in total and 500 files, to keep the browser from running out of memory.
What a ZIP does not do
This ZIP is not encrypted and has no password, so anyone who gets the file can open it. Do not use it to keep information private. File dates are stored as ZIP allows, and permissions and special file types are not preserved. An empty file is included as an empty entry.
If a folder is empty, it is not added, since browsers list only files. Related tools include the file type identifier, the merge PDF tool, the image compressor and the text encryption tool.
Assumptions and limits
- The archive uses standard ZIP with the deflate method, or stored entries, and no encryption.
- Names with unusual characters are cleaned, and long paths are cut to 200 characters.
- The limits are 25 MB per file, 100 MB in total and 500 files.
- Folders are kept only through the Add a folder button, and only when your browser supports it.
Frequently asked questions
How do I make a ZIP file from several files?
Add the files to the tool, check the list, name the ZIP and press Create. The file downloads straight to your device without being uploaded anywhere.
Can I put a password on the ZIP?
Not with this tool. The ZIP is not encrypted. If you need to protect files, use software that offers strong encryption and share the password separately.
Why are my photos not getting smaller in the ZIP?
Photos and videos are already compressed, so ZIP can barely shrink them. The tool stores them as they are by default, which saves time and keeps their size the same.
What happens if two files have the same name?
The second one is renamed with a number, like readme (2).txt, so both files are kept. The comparison ignores capital letters, since some systems treat names that differ only in case as the same file.