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 use standard Simple MAPI commands for creating messages with attachments. Most web based e-mail does not support the use of Simple MAPI. For more information about MAPI compatibility and problems using WinZip's e-mail features, see Why aren't WinZip's e-mail features working for me? 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 a supported version of Outlook, Windows Mail, or Outlook Express, 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 will 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 or 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: Click Attach File in the ribbon bar
- In GMail: Click the Attach a File link
- In AOL: Click the Attachments, then the Attach buttons
- Locate the file you wish to attach
- Right click a file and choose Add to filename.zip from the WinZip context menu
- Click the new Zip file to select it (usually at the end of the current directory listing)
- Click Open or Insert to attach the Zip file
- After sending your e-mail you can delete the Zip file if you wish
Note: This technique has been tested with the listed programs, but should work with similar steps using other programs.
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 message
- Release the mouse button
Note: This technique requires that your e-mail program support drag and drop. It may not work with all e-mail programs.
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.
