How do I compress and e-mail files using WinZip and my e-mail program?
WinZip® products offer several ways for you to quickly and easily send compressed files as e-mail attachments:
- with WinZip E-Mail Companion
- with WinZip and WinZip Pro
NOTE: some of these techniques require a "MAPI-compatible" e-mail program such as AOL 7.0, AOL 8.0, or AOL 9.0, or recent versions of Outlook. If you are using WinZip 8.1 or higher and the WinZip Zip and E-Mail entry does not appear in the context menu when you right-click a file in My Computer or Windows Explorer, or if it appears but Windows initiates an installation of Outlook Express when you try to use it, then you do not have a MAPI-compatible e-mail program installed.
For more information about MAPI compatibility and problems using WinZip's e-mail features, see our FAQ on MAPI configuration problems and WinZip. For general information about file attachments and your e-mail program, consult your e-mail program's manual or online help.
How to use the WinZip E-Mail Companion to compress attachments
If you are using Outlook 2002, Outlook 2003, Outlook 2007, Outlook Express 6.0, or Windows Mail, the WinZip E-Mail Companion provides an easy way to compress attachments as you are writing e-mails or when you press Send. With the WinZip E-Mail Companion, you can save time preparing and sending e-mails with attachments because you can:
- Reduce the size of e-mail attachments
- Send e-mails faster
- Save download time for recipients
- Reduce the amount of disk space required to store e-mails
- Reduce the time spent creating e-mails
- Fewer steps to compress and add attachments
- Works within the Microsoft® Office and E-mail programs that you already use so there's no learning curve to get started
- Protect attachments containing sensitive information with password-based AES encryption
How to compress and attach files or folders from My Computer or Windows Explorer
To compress files or folders and attach them to a new e-mail message from My Computer or Windows Explorer, simply right-click on the files or folders and choose Zip and E-Mail from the context menu. WinZip will compress the selected items to a temporary Zip file, create a new e-mail message, and attach the Zip file to it. You can then address and mail the message as you normally would. WinZip will automatically delete the temporary Zip file when it is no longer needed.
How to compress attachments while composing messages
You can use the technique described here to compress attachments while composing messages using Outlook, Eudora, Netscape Mail, and other programs that allow you to attach files using the standard Windows "File Open" dialog box. This technique does not require a MAPI-compatible e-mail program.
- Open the dialog box you normally use to attach files:
- In Outlook: choose File from the Insert menu.
- In Eudora: choose Attach File from the Message menu.
- In Netscape: choose Attach and then File from the File menu.
- In AOL: click the Attachments, then the Attach buttons.
- Using the standard Open File dialog box, locate the file you wish to attach.
- Position the mouse pointer over the filename in the dialog box, then click the right mouse button and choose Add to filename.zip from the context menu (note: the filename shown in the menu entry will be the same name as the file you selected). This will create a new Zip file with the same name as the file you selected; for example, it would create Budget01.zip from Budget01.xls.
- Click once on the name of the new Zip file to select it. This file will normally be at the end of the current directory listing.
- Click the Open or Insert button to attach the Zip file. You can delete the Zip file after attaching it.
Note: this technique has been tested with Outlook 97, Outlook 98, Outlook 2000, Outlook 2002, Outlook 2003 and Outlook Express; Eudora 3.0, Eudora 4.0 and Eudora 5.0; the mail program in AOL 4.0, AOL 5.0, AOL 6.0, AOL 7.0, AOL 8.0, and AOL 9.0; and the Netscape 4.0 mail client.
How to mail a Zip file directly from WinZip Classic
Using WinZip's Classic interface you can mail the currently open Zip file without leaving WinZip:
- If your default e-mail program is MAPI-compatible, simply choose Send To...Mail Recipient from WinZip's File menu. (If your e-mail program is not running, it will be started automatically.)
- If your default e-mail program is not MAPI-compatible, you may be able to use the drag-and-drop interface to add the Zip file you have open in WinZip to an e-mail message. Simply drag the WinZip status line to your e-mail program:
- Click on the WinZip status line (the bottom line of the WinZip window).
- While holding down the mouse button, move (drag) the mouse pointer to your e-mail program.
- Release the mouse button.
How to mail a new or updated Zip file from the WinZip Wizard
After you have used the WinZip Wizard to create or update a Zip file, you will see a button labeled Mail this Zip file. When you click this button, WinZip will create a new e-mail message and attach the Zip file to it. You can then address and mail the message as you normally would.
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