Create an archive from selected files and folders
Select files or a folder, choose ZIP, TAR, or TAR.GZ, then build and download the archive. Files are processed locally in the browser.
- Drop files or a folder onto the drop zone, or use browse files / browse folder.
- Choose an Archive name, Format, Folder paths, Duplicate paths, and any include or exclude patterns.
- The archive builds automatically after the current files and settings are usable.
- Wait for included rows to show Complete, then click the download button, such as Download archive.zip.
Choose files, folders, and archive options
Use these controls to update the archive automatically:
- Archive name sets the output filename. The tool adds the extension for the selected format.
- Format offers ZIP, TAR, and TAR.GZ.
- Folder paths offers Keep full paths, Strip common root, and Flatten to filenames.
- Duplicate paths offers Auto-rename, Skip duplicates, Keep last, and Block build.
- Include patterns (optional) limits entries to matching patterns. Separate multiple patterns with commas.
- Exclude patterns (comma-separated) removes matching entries. Use
*as a wildcard, for example*.tmpornode_modules/*.
Select I need password protection to show the tool's guidance. The tool does not create encrypted ZIP files; after downloading, use the suggested desktop or command-line method if you need encryption.
Control paths and file matching
Keep full paths preserves the selected paths. Strip common root removes the shared root portion, while Flatten to filenames removes directory paths. These choices apply to the selected archive format, not only ZIP.
Include and exclude patterns are matched against the transformed archive path after the folder-path option is applied. Invalid paths can create warnings and prevent the archive from being built.
Choose a format and compression level
Store, Normal, and Maximum apply only to ZIP. The compression selector is disabled for the other formats.
- ZIP uses the selected compression level.
- TAR bundles files without compression.
- TAR.GZ creates a TAR stream and compresses it locally. If the browser lacks
CompressionStream, the tool displaysTAR.GZ is unavailable in this browser; choose ZIP or TAR.and blocks the build.
Build and download the archive
The file table shows each File, its Original size, its current Status, and separate actions to download the original or remove the entry. The summary shows the archive size after a successful build.
After a successful build, included rows show Complete and the summary shows the archive size. The row's original-file button is labelled Download original; the remove button has the accessible label Remove file but displays only an icon.
If you add or remove files or change relevant options after an archive is ready, the current archive is cleared and rebuilt automatically before downloading.
Fix build errors and path problems
When transformed paths collide, choose the behavior that fits your output:
- Auto-rename renames duplicate paths.
- Skip duplicates excludes later duplicate entries.
- Keep last retains the later duplicate entry.
- Block build prevents building while duplicate paths need resolution.
Review warnings when paths are invalid. A build rejects empty paths, .. path traversal, reserved Windows names, unsupported characters, trailing spaces or dots, and paths longer than 255 characters. For TAR and TAR.GZ, paths longer than 255 UTF-8 bytes are also rejected. Invalid entries can block the build.
Archive names and filename limitations
The Archive name value is sanitized during the build. Characters such as < > : " | ? * \ / and control characters are replaced with underscores, so the downloaded filename may differ from the value you entered.
Local processing and format limitations
Selected files are processed locally in the browser and are not uploaded. ZIP uses JSZip; TAR uses the local TAR implementation; TAR.GZ uses the local TAR and CompressionStream implementations.
TAR.GZ requires CompressionStream; if it is unavailable, choose ZIP or TAR. The tool reads file data and creates archive blobs in browser memory, so large inputs may be slow or fail. No maximum file count, maximum archive size, or browser support matrix is defined.
Frequently asked questions
Does this tool upload my files anywhere?
No. The selected files are processed locally in your browser and are not uploaded. ZIP uses JSZip; TAR and TAR.GZ use their local archive implementations.
Can I zip an entire folder, including subfolders?
Yes. Use browse folder or drop a folder onto the drop zone. Select Keep full paths when you want to preserve the selected paths; the other folder-path options remove part or all of the directory path.
Can this tool password-protect my ZIP file?
No. Browsers have no reliable built-in way to produce a properly encrypted ZIP, so this tool does not fake password protection. Instead it shows guidance for adding real encryption with 7-Zip, WinRAR, or the command line after you download the archive.
What do exclude patterns match against?
They match the transformed archive path after the Folder paths choice is applied. For example, *.log matches log filenames and build/* matches entries under a build path.
Why is my ZIP not much smaller than the original files?
Compression choices apply only to ZIP. Already-compressed formats such as JPEG, MP4, PDF, and ZIP may not shrink much further, while text-heavy files often compress more.
Does TAR.GZ work in every browser?
No fixed browser support matrix is provided. TAR.GZ requires CompressionStream; when it is unavailable, the tool asks you to choose ZIP or TAR.
Is there a maximum number of files or archive size?
The implementation does not define a fixed maximum. Browser memory can limit practical archive size.