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How to Send a ZIP File

ZIP files get blocked or bounced by email and chat apps more often than you'd think. Upload yours once and share a link or code instead.

Send Receive

Drop files or a folder

Files Folder

Up to 500 MB · Sign in for 2 GB

Step by step

  1. Have your ZIP ready, or skip it

    Use an existing .zip file, or simply drop the folder and Enzonic Send will zip it in your browser.

  2. Upload

    Drag the ZIP onto the upload area or tap to choose it. Up to 500 MB needs no account; up to 2 GB with a free account.

  3. Set expiry and options

    Pick how long the file stays available and add a password or download limit if you need one.

  4. Share

    Send the link, the 6-digit code or the QR code. The receiver downloads the ZIP exactly as you uploaded it.

ZIP files are the standard way to bundle things together, yet they're surprisingly hard to send. Email caps them by size, many workplace mail filters strip or quarantine them, and some chat apps refuse unknown archive types. Uploading the ZIP and sharing a link sidesteps all of that.

Two ways to send a ZIP

You already have a .zip file

Drop it into the uploader above. Enzonic Send treats it like any other single file: no re-zipping, no changes. The receiver gets the exact archive you uploaded, byte for byte.

You have a folder and haven't zipped it yet

Skip the zipping step. Drag the folder straight onto the upload area and your browser builds the ZIP for you, keeping the subfolder structure. The same happens if you select several loose files at once. It saves a step, and you don't need any archive software installed. More on that in send a folder online.

Size limits

No account Free account
Max size per transfer 500 MB 2 GB
Expiry options 1 hour, 1 day, 3 days Up to 7 days
Password and download limit Yes Yes

The free account uses email or Google sign-in. If your ZIP is over 2 GB, you can split it into smaller volumes; the 2 GB guide shows how with 7-Zip.

Why ZIPs bounce in email

Two separate problems:

  1. Size. At the time of writing Gmail caps attachments at 25 MB and Outlook.com at 20 MB. Encoding inflates attachments by roughly a third, so even a 20 MB ZIP can fail.
  2. Security filters. Because malware is often delivered in archives, many company and school mail servers block ZIP attachments or hold them for review. Gmail also refuses archives that contain certain executable file types.

A link in an email is just text, so neither filter applies to the file itself. The receiver downloads it straight from Enzonic Send. The too big for email guide has the full picture on attachment limits.

Making the ZIP on each platform

If you'd rather build the archive yourself, for instance to add an archive password, here's how:

  • Windows: select files in File Explorer, right-click, Send to, Compressed (zipped) folder. In Windows 11 the option is Compress to ZIP file.
  • Mac: select files in Finder, right-click, Compress. You'll get Archive.zip or a ZIP named after the item.
  • iPhone / iPad: in the Files app, tap Select, choose the items, tap the three dots, Compress.
  • Android: in most Files apps, select items, open the menu and choose Compress or Zip. Options vary by phone maker.
  • Linux: right-click in your file manager and choose Compress, or use zip -r archive.zip folder/ in a terminal.

Does zipping make files smaller?

It depends entirely on what's inside.

  • Shrinks well: text, code, spreadsheets, CSVs, logs, uncompressed audio (WAV), some design files.
  • Barely shrinks: JPEG and HEIC photos, MP4 and MOV videos, MP3 and AAC audio, most PDFs with images. These are already compressed.

So zip for convenience (one file instead of fifty) rather than expecting a dramatic size drop on media. Enzonic Send never recompresses your files, so originals arrive unchanged.

For the receiver

They open your link, or type the 6-digit code at send.enzonic.com/receive, or scan the QR code. Then:

  • Windows: double-click the ZIP to browse it, or right-click, Extract All.
  • Mac: double-click to extract into a folder next to it.
  • iPhone: save to Files, then tap the ZIP to extract.
  • Android: open it in the Files app and tap Extract.

Tips for archives that matter

  • Name it clearly. Q3-report-final.zip beats Archive (3).zip.
  • Two passwords, two channels. If you encrypt the ZIP and also set a transfer password, send them by different routes.
  • Limit downloads. For a one-off handover, a download limit of 1 means the link stops working once it's used.
  • Pick a short expiry. Files are deleted automatically when it runs out, and you can delete the transfer early yourself.

Transfers are encrypted in transit and at rest but not end-to-end encrypted. An encrypted ZIP (AES-256 in 7-Zip, for example) adds a layer that only people with the archive password can open.

FAQ

Can I send a ZIP file by email?

Only if it's small. At the time of writing Gmail allows 25 MB and Outlook.com 20 MB, and some workplace servers block ZIP attachments entirely. A link avoids both problems.

Do I need to zip a folder before sending it?

No. Drop the folder into Enzonic Send and it's zipped in your browser automatically, with the folder structure kept.

Will Enzonic Send zip my ZIP file again?

No. A single file, including a ZIP, is sent as-is. Only multiple files or folders get packed into a new archive.

How does the receiver open a ZIP file?

Windows and macOS open ZIP files natively by double-clicking. On iPhone, tapping a ZIP in the Files app extracts it; on Android, most Files apps have an Extract option.

Can I send a password-protected ZIP?

Yes. The archive is sent unchanged, so its own password stays. You can also add a separate password to the transfer itself.

Updated 2026-10-17