How do I create a ZIP file/folder on Mac?

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Level 1

12 points

How do I create a ZIP file/folder on Mac?

I'm encountering an issue on my Mac where I need to create a zip file on Mac Sonoma but am unsure of the correct process. I've tried a few methods that I found online, but none seem to work as expected. I'm looking for a reliable way to compress files into a zip format with password, which I can then easily share or store. Could someone provide a step-by-step guide or point me to a tool or command that works well for this purpose on macOS? Additionally, any tips on handling larger files or multiple directories within the zip would be greatly appreciated. Thank you!

iMac (M1, 2021)

Posted on May 6, 2024 12:42 AM

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Answer 1

Owl-53

Level 10

102,277 points

May 6, 2024 1:12 AM in response to Meyering49

Using Spotlight, type in Terminal.

Change your directory to the location of your folder. For example, in my instance, I would type cd /Volumes/dataMAC and hit enter.

Type in ls to make sure you see your folder.

Now type in the command that will simultaneously compress and password protect the files in the form of zip -er FILENAME.zip FILESorFOLDERStoCOMPRESS.

In my example, that would be zip -er Mytaxes.zip ForTaxes/.

Hit return/enter.

Next, you'll be prompted with a password prompt—type in the password you want to use to protect the files. Enter the password twice.

You should now see your compressed and password-protected zip file in Finder.

You can test the protection by double-clicking the file.

Enter your password. The file will be uncompressed into the same directory

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