Android phones have come a long way and they’re so advanced now that they’re competing with computers for real. Take the Galaxy Note 20 Ultra as an example with Samsung’s DeX technology which converts the device to a desktop on a larger screen.

Zips are great ways of transferring files from one device to the other while maintaining the quality of the files being transferred. Another great thing about ZIPs is the fact that it helps in storage management as files that are being compressed use up lesser space than those that aren’t.

But gone are the days when you always need your computer to create ZIP files before sending them. Nowadays, you can create a zip file on an Android phone without actually doing too much.

While the native Android file manager application has improved over the years, the fact that some companies make use of their own skins on Android (EMUI, ColorOS, or One UI as an example), there might also be tweaks to the file manager application which might alter its functionality as well as removing certain features from the app.

Even Google Files do not have this feature and that is why we’ll be exploring alternative ways on how to create a zip file on an Android phone. For the sake of this short guide, I’ll be using my favorite File Manager application called ES File Explorer which is also available on iOS and iPadOS for those who want it.

There are in fact other cool applications that can be used to zip up files and create archives on an Android phone some of which will be mentioned in this guide as well.

How to create a Zip File on an Android Phone

Head to this link to download the ES File Explorer application because it’s no longer available on the Google Play Store after the company that owns the software was involved in some scandal back in 2019. While ES File Explorer exists on the internet, you may not find it on the official Google Play store and it’s been over two years since the removal so when it’ll be back is yet unknown.

The good news for Android users is that you can sideload the application by downloading it first on your device and then manually installing it. In order to do so, first head to the settings application and then scroll down to the Security settings. Click and select Unknown Sources.

This will allow you to install applications outside of the Google Play store. Depending on the device manufacturer, the process might be a bit longer than that, also you’ll be warned before installing apps due to security reasons.

Moving forward, click on the downloaded ES File Explorer app and then install the package on your device. Afterward, start the app and do the following:

1. Launch the application and click on Internal storage or SD Card or even a third storage option (USB Stick) connected to your smartphone. The app can read all storage options available as well as give information on how many storage is left.
2. Next is to head over to the particular file or folder you want to ZIP up
3. Then long press on the folder or the files to select it. You’ll notice a select tick appear on all the folders or files. Checking each to select and then click on the top-rightthree-dot options
4. Look for Compress/Zip and then click.
5. The Process will start immediately and at the end, you’ll see the Archived/Zipped folder with the .ZIP extension.

If the files on this page are too much and you can’t easily find the newly compressed/zipped file then press back and go to the home screen. Scroll down and look for Compressed. When you click on it, you’ll see a list of all the compressed files on your Android phone with the first being the most recent.

But there are other cool options on the market as well such as ZArchiver, Zip File Maker, Zip File Reader, and so many more. Services like Google Drive or DropBox can all be used to archive/compress/zip files or extract them with ease. Tell me what you think in the comment section below.