How to Compress & Zip Attached Files
Email has become a standard mode of communication for people among all ages and backgrounds over the past decade. As a necessary tool for quick communication, email can be sent with file attachments to transfer ideas, documents and data productively and reliably. A common method of sending attachments is through the use of compressed or "zipped" files. Many programs are available that enable users to select certain files as attachments that they can choose to compress and send through email.
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Instructions
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Compress and Email using 7-Zip
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Browse your hard drive for the files that you are going to compress to email as attachments. If the files are in multiple folders, be sure to place them in one common folder for easy navigation. Click and drag files to move them to the same folder location, or use "Ctrl + C" to copy and "Ctrl + V" to paste files from one location to another.
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Select the files you want to compress in your Windows Explorer file browser. To add another file to your selection, hold "Ctrl" and left-click the file to append it to your selection.
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Right-click your selected files and select "7-Zip > Compress and Email..." from the right-click menu. A new dialog box will pop up with compression settings and encryption options.
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Type in the name of your compressed file in the "Archive:" text box. The default compression options are suitable for general use. If you want to increase the amount of file compression to send out a smaller file, select "Ultra" from the "Compression Level" drop-down menu. If you want to encrypt the file with a password, type in your selected password in the "Encryption:" section of the box.
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Click "OK" to compress your files. A status box for the compression process will appear. When the file has successfully been archived, your default email solution will open a blank message with your file as an attachment. Input the recipient address and type your message before sending out your email.
Compress and Email using WinRAR
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Browse your hard drive for the files that you are going to compress to email as attachments. If the files are in multiple folders, be sure to place them in one common folder for easy navigation. Click and drag files to move them to the same folder location, or use "Ctrl + C" to copy and "Ctrl + V" to paste files from one location to another.
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Right-click the files you wish to compress. From the right-click menu, select "Compress and Email ..." The WinRAR software will start up in a box titled "Archive name and parameters."
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Type in the name of your zipped file in the "Archive Name:" field. Select a format for your zipped file from the "Archive Format" section. The .zip format is the universally used format for compressed files. However, WinRAR can also write compressed files in the .RAR format. Select a compression amount from the "Compression Method" drop-down menu.
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Click "OK" to write your compressed file. A small box will pop up denoting the progress of the file compression. When the program finished creating your zipped file, your default email solution will start up with a blank message and your new compressed file loaded as an attachment. Fill out the email with your recipient's address and your message before sending out the email.
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