A ZIP can compress and package files
ZIP combines multiple files and directory paths into one portable archive. Deflate compression can reduce suitable data, but packaging alone is useful even when the byte total barely changes.
- Text and uncompressed data often shrink well.
- JPG, MP4, and many modern formats are already compressed.
- Keep the original files until the archive is verified.
Create the archive locally
Choose individual files or a folder, inspect the displayed relative paths, remove anything unintended, set the archive name, and create the ZIP. OpenFileTools reads and compresses the selection only after that explicit action.
Folder structure and safe names
A browser can expose relative paths when folder selection is supported. The archive preserves those paths after rejecting traversal, absolute, drive-letter, and invalid names. Folder selection availability varies by browser.
Windows and macOS alternatives
Windows File Explorer offers Compress to ZIP, while macOS Finder offers Compress. The browser workflow is useful when you want measured input/output sizes and a consistent private interface without installing software.
Troubleshooting and common questions
A larger result is not automatically an error: ZIP headers and filenames add bytes, and already-compressed sources have little redundancy left. If folder paths look wrong, remove the selection and choose the folder again rather than editing ambiguous names.
- No file is uploaded.
- The 500-entry and 200 MB limits bound browser memory.
- This tool does not create encrypted ZIP files.