
How to Resize a Zip File in Windows 10
Managing file sizes is an essential skill in today’s digital age, especially when dealing with compressed files like ZIP. If you find that your ZIP file is too large to send via email or store on a device with limited space, resizing it can be a practical solution. In this guide, I’ll walk you through various methods to resize a ZIP file in Windows 10, ensuring that you can manage your files more efficiently.
Using Windows Built-in Tools
One of the simplest ways to resize a ZIP file in Windows 10 is by using the built-in tools. Here’s how you can do it:
- Right-click on the ZIP file you want to resize.
- Select “Extract All…” from the context menu.
- In the “Extract Compressed (Zipped) Folders” window, choose a destination folder for the extracted files.
- Click “Extract” to start the extraction process.
- After the files are extracted, you can manually compress them using any file compression tool or by changing the file properties.
This method doesn’t actually resize the original ZIP file but creates a new folder with the compressed files. If you need to keep the original ZIP file, you’ll have to manually compress the extracted files.
Using Third-Party Software
For more advanced resizing options, you can use third-party software. Here are a few popular choices:
- WinRAR: WinRAR is a powerful file compression tool that allows you to resize ZIP files. To resize a ZIP file using WinRAR, follow these steps:
- Open WinRAR and navigate to the ZIP file.
- Right-click on the file and select “Add to archive…”
- In the “Archive name and parameters” window, enter a new name for the resized ZIP file if desired.
- Under “Compression,” you can adjust the compression level to resize the file.
- Click “OK” to create the resized ZIP file.
- 7-Zip: Similar to WinRAR, 7-Zip offers a range of compression options. To resize a ZIP file using 7-Zip, follow these steps:
- Open 7-Zip and navigate to the ZIP file.
- Right-click on the file and select “Add to archive…”
- In the “Archive name and parameters” window, enter a new name for the resized ZIP file if desired.
- Under “Compression,” you can adjust the compression level to resize the file.
- Click “OK” to create the resized ZIP file.
Using PowerShell
PowerShell is a command-line shell and scripting language available in Windows 10. You can use PowerShell to resize a ZIP file by following these steps:
- Open PowerShell by searching for “PowerShell” in the Start menu and selecting “Windows PowerShell” (Admin) or “Windows PowerShell ISE” (Admin).
- Enter the following command, replacing “source.zip” with the name of your ZIP file and “destination.zip” with the desired name for the resized file:
Compress-Archive -Path "source.zip" -DestinationPath "destination.zip" -CompressionLevel Optimal
- Press Enter to execute the command.
This command will create a new ZIP file with the specified compression level, effectively resizing the original file.
Using File Properties
Another simple method to resize a ZIP file is by changing its properties. Here’s how to do it:
- Right-click on the ZIP file and select “Properties” from the context menu.
- Go to the “General” tab.
- Click on the “Advanced” button.
- Check the “Compress contents to save disk space” option.
- Click “OK” to save the changes.
This method will compress the contents of the ZIP file, reducing its size. However, it may not provide the same level of compression as other methods.
Conclusion
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