How to Zip a Word File
By Amy Dombrower
Creating a .zip file compresses the date in the file or files to significantly reduce the size. Compressing files allows you to save space on your computer and also to email larger files. For example, a Word document (file extension .doc) that is 65 KB could be reduced to 11 KB after being compressed. You can use the basic file compression utility that is included with Windows or you can download or purchase an alternate file compression utility.
Compressing Files in Windows
Step 1
Navigate to a Word file you want to compress, either by selecting "Documents" in the Start menu to access "My Documents" or selecting another folder where the .doc file is stored.
Step 2
Right-click the file.
Step 3
Select "Send To," then select "Compressed (Zipped) Folder." Windows will automatically create and save a zipped folder containing your compressed file in the same folder as the original file. Notice the difference in file size.
Step 4
Double-click the folder to access the original file. If you want to send the compressed file as an email attachment, select the zipped folder instead of the original file when you attach a file to the email.
Compressing Files Using aThird-Party File Compression Utility
Step 1
Download and install a free trial of an alternate file compression utility of your choice. Many file compression utilities have more features than the basic Windows utility, and they integrate into both Windows and Mac systems.
Step 2
Open Windows Explorer (or the Finder on a Mac) to select the Word file you want to compress.
Step 3
Right-click the file.
Step 4
Click the compression utility's shortcut command , such as "Add to Zip File" or "Add to Archive." The zipped file will be created immediately in the same folder as the original Word file. If you need to unzip the file, right-click and select "Extract" or "Unzip."
References
Writer Bio
Amy Dombrower is a journalist and freelance writer living in Chicago. She worked in the newspaper industry for three years and enjoys writing about technology, health, paper crafts and life improvement. Some of her passions are graphic design, movies, music and fitness. Dombrower earned her Bachelor of Arts in journalism from The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.