Turn any files into a ZIP — right in your browser
Free, instant and private. Your photos and documents are compressed on your own device — nothing is ever uploaded to a server.
Photos, PDFs, documents — any file type. Up to 1 GB total.
Your archive is ready
How to create a ZIP file online
Making a ZIP archive with ZipForge takes three steps and less than a minute:
1. Add your files. Drag and drop them onto the area above, or click it to open your file picker. You can mix any file types — photos, PDFs, spreadsheets, videos — and add as many as you need up to 1 GB in total. Files with duplicate names are renamed automatically so nothing gets overwritten.
2. Pick a compression level. Balanced is the sweet spot for everyday use. Fast trades a slightly larger archive for near-instant results on big batches, while Max squeezes out every last kilobyte — useful when you're right at an email attachment limit.
3. Create and download. Press Create ZIP and your archive downloads automatically. You'll also see exactly how much space you saved, measured in real bytes, not marketing numbers.
Why ZipForge never uploads your files
Most "free online ZIP" services work by uploading your files to their servers, compressing them there, and sending the result back. That means your documents sit on someone else's machine — even if only briefly — and you have to trust their retention policy, their security, and their staff.
ZipForge takes the opposite approach. The compression engine (an open-source library called fflate) runs entirely inside your browser using a background worker thread. When you drop a file, it is read into your device's memory, compressed on your own CPU, and handed back to you as a download. Disconnect from the internet after the page loads and the tool still works — that's the simplest proof that nothing is being sent anywhere.
This design makes ZipForge appropriate for files you would never send to a random website: signed contracts, passport scans, payroll exports, medical records, or client deliverables covered by an NDA.
What you can do with it
People use ZipForge to bundle photo collections into a single email attachment, shrink folders of documents before uploading them to job portals or government forms with strict size limits, package design deliverables for clients, and archive old project files before clearing disk space. Because it also extracts ZIP files, you can open archives you receive without installing anything — handy on a work laptop where you can't install software, or on a phone.
Frequently asked questions
Are my files uploaded to a server?
No. ZipForge compresses files entirely inside your browser using JavaScript. Your files never leave your device, which makes it safe for contracts, ID scans, medical documents and other sensitive files.
Is ZipForge really free?
Yes. There is no signup, no premium tier, no watermark and no daily quota. The tool is supported by non-intrusive advertising on the site.
What is the maximum file size?
Because compression happens in your browser's memory, we apply a practical limit of 1 GB total per archive. Most modern laptops and phones handle several hundred megabytes comfortably.
Can I compress photos into a ZIP for email?
Yes. Drop your photos, choose a compression level and download one ZIP file that is easy to attach to an email. Note that JPEG photos are already compressed, so the main benefit is bundling many files into one attachment.
Does ZipForge work on mobile phones?
Yes. ZipForge works in any modern browser on Android and iOS. Tap the drop area to open your phone's file picker, select files and create your ZIP.
Which compression level should I choose?
Balanced is right for most cases. Choose Fast for very large batches where speed matters more than size, and Max when you need the smallest possible archive and don't mind waiting a little longer.