Why You Should Compress Files on Your Computer

Does your work entail handling all sorts of files? Do you have trouble posting files on the web because of the files’ large sizes? Then perhaps it’s time for you to start compressing your files. 

Whether it’s an individual file or several files with large sizes, you can compress files in more ways than one. But what exactly does compressing computer files mean? As the name implies, it involves compressing or “packaging” files to reduce the latter’s disk space use. 

But the bigger question is this: why should you compress your files today? Continue reading below for a lowdown on file compression.

More Storage Space

As we mentioned earlier, you can reduce the disk space requirement of your files when you compress them. This is perhaps the most popular reason why individuals and businesses compress files.

Storage space comes with the hard drive inside your computers. For every file that you create or save on your computer, it takes up a portion of the storage. The bigger the size of the files, the larger storage space they will take up.

Unfortunately, not all files come in small sizes. A good number of them come in large file sizes. In turn, you can expect them to take up most of your storage space in no time. 

When this happens, you may encounter all sorts of problems with your computer. For starters, low disk space can lead to errors in your software upgrades, updates, and program installations.

If you’re on Windows, low disk space can slow it down. This happens once your free storage space reaches the same size as your computer’s total memory size. 

And if you’re still on Windows 7 OS, you may be in for more serious trouble. Once your disk space goes down to 500Mb, your Windows 7 may crash.

Increase Transfer and Bandwidth Speed

Compressing your files also increases your bandwidth and transfer speed. Every time your download or transfer anything, you use a part of your network bandwidth. 

This includes the download or transfer of videos, audio files, and other items. If you transfer uncompressed files, they require more bits to complete the transfer. The problem with this is that more bandwidth requirement means a reduction in the transfer speed.

But through compression, your files will require fewer bits of data. In turn, you will need less bandwidth whenever you transfer or download the files. 

To get a better idea of the impact of compression on your bandwidth use, it will take you 10 seconds to download a 10Mb file if your available bandwidth is only 1Mbps. But if you compress the file into 5Mb, it will slice the download time from 10 seconds to five seconds.

Cost-Efficiency

When you compress files, your data storage requirements become lighter. As a result, you reduce your data storage expenses. 

For example, you have a 500Mb of uncompressed data. But the problem is, you only have a 250Mb hard drive. To address this, you will need to buy an extra hard drive with 250Mb storage space to accommodate the uncompressed files.

By compressing your files, you can save more money, which you can spend on other items. You can use the savings on your internet connection. If your internet service provider charges you for data that you download, you can reduce these charges if you use zip files.

Different Ways to Compress Files

Speaking of compressing or zipping your files, there are many ways of doing so. If you’re on Windows, a good option is the 7-Zip file archiver. It is a free, open-source software readily available for download.

After downloading 7-Zip, open your .exe file. You will find this in your “Downloads” folder or inside your web browser. Hit “Install” to complete the download. 

From there, go to the file or folder that you wish to zip. You will find this in a pop-up menu beside the folder or file. Look for the “7-Zip” option and click it.

Thereafter, hit “Add to Archive” to open up the menu for compressing files. Look for the drop-down menu beside “Compression Level.” From there, hit “Ultra”, which is the highest level.

Next, you need to set the “Dictionary Size.” You want to pick a value that is 10 times lower than your computer’s memory.

Find the “Solid Block Size” option and select “Solid” next to it. This option will compress your file into solid data blocks. Hit “Ok” to complete the compression process.

There is also a way to compress files if you’re a Mac user. Go to the magnifying glass icon and click it. This will open your Mac’s Spotlight search box.

From there, type the words “Archive Utility.app” in the search box then hit “Return” on your keypad. Once the Archive Utility application is open, go to the menu bar at the top of the screen and click “File.”

Click “Create Archive” from the “File” menu and select the file or folder that you wish to compress. After selecting, hit “Archive” to start compressing your files in gzip format.

Things to Watch Out For

Last but not least, we need to discuss some key considerations before you start compressing your files. First, you need to check if your files are no longer compressible. This can happen to audio files, videos, or any data that already experienced compression in the past.

This can also happen to encrypted data. When you try to compress incompressible data, it will only lead to wasting your CPU time. 

Another important consideration is the possibility of increasing the size of your files. When your files are incompressible, they become larger than their original file.  

Last but not least, if you’re looking to unzip files, make sure they are free of viruses and malware. Check the sources of the compressed files. Make sure they come from reliable sources.

Not sure how to unzip tons of files simultaneously? We’ve got you covered. Check out this guide here to learn how to unzip multiple files with ease.

Increase Your File Management Skills

Learning how to compress files goes a long way in your data management requirements. It can help you download and transfer large files efficiently. It can also lower your data storage needs and expenses. 

But compressing your files is only one of the many things to learn in data management. Check out our other articles to increase your file management skills further.