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Make Smaller guide

Try making a ZIP or 7z archive smaller on Windows

Right-click an existing ZIP or 7z archive and choose Make Smaller → Preserve quality. If a smaller copy is saved, open and test it. Already compressed archives may produce No improvement.

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Before you start

  • Make Smaller on Windows 11 24H2 or later, x64, with a full Microsoft Store license or trial access with uses remaining.
  • A supported, unencrypted ZIP or 7z archive available locally, with enough free space for processing.
  • An archive reader for testing the output and a disposable folder if you need to extract samples.

Using the free trial? Each saved copy at least 1% smaller uses one of your five trial uses. How the free trial works.

Follow these steps

  1. Choose the ZIP or 7z itself

    Select an existing archive in File Explorer. This task recompresses that archive; it does not pack loose files into a new ZIP. Right-click, choose Properties and note Size.

  2. Run Preserve quality

    Right-click the archive, choose Make Smaller, then Preserve quality. Other profiles do not resize photos or videos inside an ordinary ZIP or 7z.

  3. Read the outcome

    Wait for checking to finish. No improvement means no smaller copy was saved. Archives containing already compressed photos, audio or video may have little room to shrink.

    Make Smaller reports no worthwhile improvement for a ZIP containing two research papers.
    No improvement means no extra copy was saved. Enlarge image.

  4. Check the saved archive

    If a smaller copy exists, choose Show in folder. Open it in your usual archive reader, compare the file list and use its integrity check if available.

  5. Open sample files and measure the copy

    Extract a few sample files into a separate test folder and open them. Keep the original archive. In File Explorer Properties, compare the output's Size with any upload limit; the app has no target-MB setting.

Check your result

  • The output remains ZIP or 7z and opens successfully.
  • Required entries and their contents are present.
  • The actual size is smaller and the original archive is still available.
If you need more help

When an archive cannot be processed

Encrypted archives and certain compression methods or internal features cannot be processed. Read the result instead of changing the filename extension or assuming all ZIP and 7z files are supported.

A file containing a large amount of already compressed material may have no worthwhile saving. The app does not reduce the quality of that material to force a smaller archive.

Office documents have their own rules

Some document formats use ZIP internally, but Make Smaller recognizes them as documents. Eligible embedded images or media can be adjusted by document profiles. Use the PDF and Office guide for those files instead of renaming a document to .zip.

Need the app?

Make Smaller. Check requirements and download options.

Make Smaller on Microsoft Store

Next steps