How to Create a Zip Download Link

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A ZIP file is a single compressed file that can contain multiple files or even entire directories inside it. You can also put one large file, such as a video or audio file, into a ZIP file to decrease its file size, making it faster to download. Once someone downloads a ZIP file, she can double-click on it to extract its original contents to her computer. If you have files to share with clients or website visitors, it's easy to post them online in a ZIP file for downloading.

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Step 1

Right-click on any blank space on your computer desktop.

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Step 2

Choose "New" then "Compressed (Zipped) Folder." A new folder appears.

Step 3

Right click on the folder name and choose "Rename." Type a unique filename for your ZIP file. A brief name without spaces is best for a file that others will download.

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Step 4

Drag and drop the files or directories of files you want to include in your ZIP file directly onto the ZIP file icon. The files will only copy into this location; they will not disappear from their original locations.

Step 5

Upload your ZIP file to your Web server. If you do not have your own web hosting account, sign up for a free hosting account on Box.net, File Factory (filefactory.com) or File Dropper (filedropper.com). Make careful note of the exact address at which you uploaded your ZIP file; for example, if your personal website is "domain.com" and you uploaded "myzip.zip" into the folder called "files," the exact URL would be domain.com/files/myzip.zip.

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Step 6

Paste the following HTML link code in the Web page, blog post or other online content where you want to create a download link: Download ZIP File. Type the exact URL of your ZIP file in-between the two quotation marks. Edit "Download Zip File" to reflect your desired link text.

Step 7

Save or upload your online content. It now has a link to download the ZIP file you uploaded.

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