Compressing files can save storage space on your Chromebook. Compressing files also provides a quick way to free up a group of files without data loss. Like Windows, macOS, and Linux, the Chrome operating system (Chrome OS) can zip and unzip files.
This tutorial will show you how to bundle files and folders into ZIP files on your Chromebook. You will also learn different ways to extract the contents of ZIP files in ChromeOS.
Reading: How to create a zip file on chromebook
How to Compress Files on Chromebooks
The ChromeOS file manager allows you to bundle different file types (images, audio files, videos, etc.) into one ZIP file.
- Open the Files app (press Shift + Alt + M) and navigate to the folder containing the files you want to zip.
- Right-click the file you want to compress and choose Compress Selection.
ChromeOS will create a ZIP file with the same name as the original file.
- You can also bundle multiple files into a single ZIP file. Hold down the Ctrl key and use your Chromebook’s trackpad or mouse to select the files.
- Right click on the selected files and choose Zip Selection.
Chrome OS will compress the selection into a ZIP file named “Archive.zip”. To change the default title, right click on the zip file, select Rename and enter your preferred title. Alternatively, you can select the ZIP file and press Ctrl + Enter to quickly change the title.
If you zip a folder, the generated zip file will have the same name/title as the folder. That is, “Screenshots.zip” is the resulting file from zipping a “Screenshots” folder.
How to password protect ZIP files on Chromebooks
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ChromeOS does not support encryption of ZIP files. You must use third-party apps to secure compressed files with a password on your Chromebook. Android apps like RAR (by RARLAB) and ZArchiver will do the job.
Both apps are free and easy to use, but RAR (by RARLAB) has a better user interface. Follow the steps below to learn how to use the app to create password-protected ZIP files on your Chromebook.
- Download and install the RAR app from Google Playstore. Open the app and give it permission to access your files when prompted.
- Check the boxes next to the files or folders you want to compress. Select the Add files to archive icon in the top menu to continue.
- Choose the ZIP file format and enter a preferred title for the ZIP file in the dialog box. Choose the Browse button to change the destination folder.
- Next, select the Set Password button to encrypt the ZIP file.
- Enter a password in the provided dialog box and select OK.
- Finally, on the Archive Options page, click OK to save the password-protected ZIP file to the destination file.
Check the destination folder in Files app and make sure RAR created the encrypted ZIP file successfully. People without the encryption password won’t be able to open or extract the contents of the ZIP file on your Chromebook and other devices.
How to unzip files on Chromebooks
There are two different ways to extract ZIP files on Chromebooks. You can either use ChromeOS’ ZIP extraction feature or manually duplicate the contents of the ZIP file.
Unpack files using ChromeOS’s extraction feature
Chromebooks running ChromeOS 101 or later can directly extract the contents of archived/compressed ISO, TAR and RAR files. Right-click the file you want to extract and select Extract All from the pop-up menu.
ChromeOS will extract the contents of the ZIP file to a folder with a similar name to the original ZIP file. When you unzip a “Pictures.zip” file, your Chromebook extracts the contents into a “Pictures” folder.
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Refresh your Chromebook if you can’t find the “Extract All” option in the context menu when you right-click a zipped file.
Connect your Chromebook to a Wi-Fi network, open Settings, select About ChromeOS in the sidebar, and then select Check for updates. Select Restart to install a pre-downloaded update on your Chromebook.
Unzip files manually
This method copies the contents of a zipped file and paste it into another folder on your Chromebook.
- Double-click the zipped file to access its contents. Alternatively, select the zipped file and select Open from the top menu bar.
If the ZIP file is password protected, enter the encryption password and select Unlock.
- Select the file(s) you want to extract, right-click and select Copy from the context menu.
- Go to the location/folder where you want to extract the files, right-click anywhere in the folder and select Paste.
Tip: Use the Ctrl + C and Ctrl + V keyboard shortcuts to quickly copy and paste files on your Chromebook.
- ChromeOS mounts the ZIP file and displays it as an external drive in the sidebar. After extracting the contents, select the Eject icon next to the ZIP file.
Lossless Compression and Extraction
ChromeOS does not reduce the size or quality of individual files bundled into a single zipped file. There is also no loss of quality or size reduction when unzipping. Restart your Chromebook or update its operating system if you’re having trouble zipping and unzipping files.
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