How to Zip Files on a Mac

With the advent of the Internet, there have been many different archive programs created over the past few years, the majority of which are accessible for free. While most of these programs are nearly identical, each has its own advantages and disadvantages. Likewise, not all of these programs are compatible with the same operating systems and other programming environments. This article will focus specifically on archive programs that are compatible with the various Mac operating systems.

ZipIt
ZipIt runs on Mac OS X and is made specifically for moving files between two different operating platforms. For example, if a user wishes to move files from their Windows computer to a Mac or vice versa, ZipIt would be ideal for the task as it naturally converts the files to the appropriate format upon extraction. ZipIt is a shareware program that costs $20 but all features are available for free. Registering the program, however, removes the registration screen that appears when the user opens the program and gives the user the ability to encrypt archives.

StuffIt Deluxe
StuffIt Deluxe is a rather expensive program at $79.99 but the software actually includes several powerful programs in one package. StuffIt Deluxe combines the StuffIt Expander, DropStuff, DropZip, and DropTar to provide users with an amazing set of tools that can do everything from regular archiving to pure compression and even encryption. StuffIt Deluxe is also made for the Mac user in mind and can support Mac OS X Snow Leopard 10.6. The program also offers Mac users the ability to use other Mac features such as the Quick Look and MacFuse plug-ins.

iArchiver
iArchiver, or Rucksack, is an archive tool made specifically for Mac users. The program was created by CreativeBe and can handle .zip, .7zip, .rar, and all other popular archive formats. IArchiver works mostly on drag-and-drop principles so users do not have to worry about complicated options and procedures. IArchiver also includes other features such as the ability to split and join files, convert entire archives, and encrypt archives.

MacZip
MacZip is another archive program made specifically for Mac. The software is completely free and can support file compression in Unix, VMS, MS-DOS, OS/2, Windows NT, Minix, Atari, Macintosh, Amiga, and Acorn RISC OS. MacZip is also completely compatible with PKZip, another archive program, and supports archive encryption. Unfortunately, MacZip is rather old and doesn't work as properly as it should. While some users may find the software obsolete, it remains a free alternative to premium archive programs.

SmartZip
SmartZip is another great program for Mac users to extract and create archives with. With SmartZip, all users have to do is drag and drop files into the interface in order to create archives. The program also integrates itself with the Mac operating system and allows users to extract archives by clicking on them. SmartZip is able to operate on both Windows and Mac so all Mac-related information is encoded into every file and is preserved even during conversion.

Compress Files for Mac
Compress Files for Mac is an excellent program that provides Mac users with everything they need to create and extract archives. The program is much more elaborate than most archive software as it allows the user to create archives in the .zip, .tar, .tar.gz, .tar.bz2, .xar, .7z, and .dmg file formats. Most importantly, Compress Files for Mac maintains Mac file structures and preserves Mac system files when an archive is opened on a Windows operating system. The software costs $24.99 but is available on a trial basis.

Pack Up & Go
Pack Up & Go was not made for the Mac and was created in Unix. However, the software is able to run on any virtually any operating system. The program is based on a drag-and-drop system while the software uses universal standards to compress and extract archives. Users can manage tasks directly from the interface and can even run multiple tasks at the same time.