Tools
Split a large ZIP file into smaller parts
If the archive is too big to send by email, we split it into several smaller archives that each stay under the limit you choose. Everything happens on your own machine — nothing is uploaded.
Choose the archive you want to split
Your original archive is untouched. You get the parts as new files alongside it.
How it works
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1
Choose the ZIP file. We read the table of contents and show you how many files the archive holds and how large it is.
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2
Choose how large the parts should be. 25 MB suits Gmail and Outlook; you can also enter your own limit.
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3
Press «Split the archive». You get a list of the parts, and can download them one by one or all at once.
Every part is an ordinary archive
This is the most important difference between us and programs like 7-Zip and WinRAR. They make what is called a spanned archive, with file names ending in .z01, .z02 and so on. Such an archive is one unit: the recipient must have every part, and a program that understands the format. Windows’ file explorer does not.
The parts you get here are independent ZIP files. Each one can be opened on its own, by anyone, without any extra program. If one of them goes missing, the recipient still gets the contents of the others.
A single file cannot be split
If one of the files in the archive is larger than the limit you set, it cannot be cut in two — neither half would be a usable file. It gets its own archive instead, and you are told which files that applies to.
If a single large file has to be sent, a file transfer service is the right tool. Splitting the file itself requires the recipient to put it back together, and that is rarely worth the trouble.
Why does the total come out slightly different?
The files are unpacked and packed again as they are distributed. Each of the new archives has its own table of contents, so a few hundred bytes are added per part. On the other hand the compression can land slightly differently than in the original.
The estimate you see before you press is therefore approximate. We stay under the limit you set, but the number of parts can end up one more or one fewer than estimated.
Questions and answers
Can the recipient open the parts without any program?
Yes. Every part is an ordinary ZIP file, and Windows, Mac, iPhone and Android all open them with what is already on the machine. That is the whole point of splitting this way rather than making a spanned archive.
Does the recipient have to put the parts back together?
No. Each part is extracted on its own, and the contents land wherever the recipient wants them. If everything should end up in the same folder, they simply extract all the parts to the same place.
Are my files uploaded?
No. Both the reading and the packing happen in your own browser. You can check it yourself in the Network tab of the developer tools — no request goes out while the work is running.
How large an archive can I split?
The parts are built one at a time, so size is rarely what stops you. The limit is 20,000 files in the archive. If the archive is very large it takes time — leave the tab open while it works.
Can I split a password-protected archive?
Not from here. Unlock it under «Open ZIP file» first, download the contents, and make a new archive you can split. We never unlock anything without you providing the password yourself.