The easiest way to compress a file in Windows is to use the built-in Compressed (zipped) Folder feature. This feature is available in all versions of Windows and allows users to quickly and easily create archives of files and folders that take up less space on a hard drive or disc.
To compress a file, right-click the file or folder you want to compress, select “Send to” and then choose “Compressed (zipped) folder”. Windows will then create a new compressed folder with the same name as the original item but with a “.zip” file extension. Alternatively, you can select multiple files or folders by holding down the Ctrl key while selecting each item, right-click any selected item, select “Send to” and then choose “Compressed (zipped) folder”. Windows will then create a single compressed folder containing all the selected files and folders.
Once the compressed folder is created, you can open it like any other folder in File Explorer. The contents of the folder will display as normal, with the only difference being that each file or folder will have the “zipped” icon next to it. You can double-click any of the zipped items to open it, edit it, print it, etc. When you are done, save the file or folder and it will be automatically compressed again.
Compressing files is a great way to save disk space, reduce file sizes for emails and other sharing scenarios, and make data easier to backup.