Ever wanted to add more files or folders to an existing ZIP archive in Windows 10/11 without having to extract everything first? You are not alone, and it’s not a hard task. Let’s learn the easiest way to do this.
Creating a ZIP is simple: right-click your files/folders and select ‘Compress to > ZIP file.’ While this works well for creating new archives, what if you need to add files to a ZIP you’ve already created? For example, I recently wanted to share some photos with my family. I already had a ZIP file uploaded to Google Drive, so I simply added the extra photos to it. This was much easier than creating multiple ZIP files and keeping track of their contents.
In this tutorial, I will cover the simple steps to add files to your existing ZIP file without needing to unzip or re-zip the entire thing. Let’s get started.
Good to know: How to password-protect ZIP archives in Windows
Add More Files to an Existing ZIP File in Windows
- Open the File Explorer by pressing “Windows key + E“.
- Select the files you want to add to the ZIP archive.
- Press “Ctrl + C” to copy them to the clipboard.
- Open the ZIP archive file in File Explorer.
- Press “Ctrl + V” to paste the copied files into the archive.
- With that, you’ve added files to the existing ZIP file.
- You can safely close the File Explorer window.
Detailed Steps (With Screenshots)
First, open the File Explorer using the “Windows key + E” shortcut and find the files you want to add to the archive. Next, select them and press the “Ctrl + C” shortcut to copy them to the clipboard.
Next, find and open the ZIP file in which you want to add more files. To open a ZIP file in File Explorer, simply double-click on the file.
Now, right-click on the ZIP and select the “Paste” option or press the “Ctrl + V” shortcut.
The above action copies the selected files into the ZIP file. Depending on the number of files and their size, the copy & compress process will take some time. Sit back and let it run. Once done, you will see the selected files added to the ZIP file.
That is all. It is that simple.
Related: Best software to create ZIP and other archive files in Windows
Wrap Up — Adding Files to Existing ZIP Archive Without Re-Zipping or Extracting
As you can see, using the built-in Windows options, you can easily add files to an already existing ZIP file with ease and without re-zipping or extracting the entire archive. In most cases, the method shown here not only works but is also a quick and efficient way. However, in some rare situations (such as with very old ZIP files or those using specific compression methods), the process might not work. In those cases, you have to extract the contents and create a new ZIP file.
If you have any questions or need help, comment below. I’ll be happy to help.
