Batch Compress Images on Mac: Complete Tutorial

Learn how to batch compress hundreds of images on Mac using drag-and-drop, folder monitoring, Raycast, and Apple Shortcuts with Zipic.

Compressing images one by one doesn’t scale. Whether you’re preparing a product catalog with hundreds of photos, optimizing a website’s asset folder, or processing a day’s worth of screenshots, you need batch compression.

Here’s every method available on Mac — from the simplest drag-and-drop to fully automated pipelines.

Method 1: Drag and Drop Folders

The simplest batch approach. Drag an entire folder from Finder into the Zipic window — every image inside gets compressed using your current preset.

Zipic processes all supported formats in the folder simultaneously: JPEG, PNG, WebP, HEIC, GIF, and (with Pro) AVIF, TIFF, ICNS, PDF, JPEG-XL.

Tips:

Drop multiple folders at once — Zipic handles them all
Mixed formats are fine — each file uses the appropriate compression algorithm
Check your save settings first — decide whether to replace originals or save copies

For complete save option details, see Configuring Save Options.

Method 2: Folder Monitoring (Pro)

For ongoing batch workflows, folder monitoring is the most powerful option. Configure Zipic to watch specific directories — any new image added to those folders gets compressed automatically.

Setup:

Open Zipic Settings → Automation
Add a folder to monitor
Choose monitoring depth (0 = root only, up to 5 levels deep)
Select a compression preset

Use cases:

Screenshots folder — every screenshot you take gets compressed instantly
Downloads folder — images downloaded from the web are auto-optimized
Design export folder — Figma/Sketch exports are compressed as they land
E-commerce upload folder — product photos are optimized before upload

Folder monitoring only processes new files — existing images aren’t re-compressed. For the full setup guide, see Monitoring Directory Autocompression.

Method 3: Finder Right-Click

Select multiple images in Finder, right-click, and choose Open With → Zipic. All selected files are compressed using your current preset.

This is great for ad-hoc batch compression when you don’t want to open Zipic’s main window.

Method 4: Raycast Extension

If you use Raycast, the Zipic extension lets you compress selected Finder files without switching apps:

Select images in Finder
Open Raycast (⌘ + Space or your hotkey)
Type “Compress Images” and hit Enter

You can assign a global hotkey (like ⇧⌥Z) for instant access. See the Raycast Extension Guide.

Method 5: URL Scheme + Apple Shortcuts (Pro)

For advanced automation, Zipic’s URL Scheme lets you build custom compression pipelines:

zipic://compress?url=/path/to/folder&level=3&format=webp

Combine this with Apple Shortcuts to create one-tap workflows:

“Compress my Downloads folder to WebP at level 3”
“Optimize all PNGs in Desktop to AVIF”
“Resize and compress everything in a folder to 1200px wide”

Full parameter reference in the Workflow Integration Guide.

Batch Compression Best Practices

Choose the Right Preset

Before batch processing, select a preset that matches your goal:

Zipic compression presets for batch processing — choose quality vs size balance

Web assets: Level 3, WebP output
Email attachments: Level 4, JPEG output
Archival quality: Level 1, original format
E-commerce: Level 2-3, WebP with resize to 1200px

Resize During Batch Compression

Need consistent image dimensions? Enable resize in your preset:

Zipic resize options — set target width and height for batch processing

Set a target width (e.g., 1200px for web) and Zipic automatically maintains the aspect ratio. Every image in the batch gets resized and compressed in one pass.

For resize details, see Resizing Images.

Convert Formats During Batch

Batch-converting formats is just as easy — select your target format in the preset and every image in the batch converts during compression:

Common batch conversions:

PNG screenshots → WebP (60-70% smaller)
HEIC photos → JPEG (universal compatibility)
JPEG product photos → AVIF (maximum compression)

Summary: Which Method to Use

Method	Best For	Requires Pro
Drag & drop folders	Quick one-off batches	No
Folder monitoring	Ongoing automated workflows	Yes
Finder right-click	Ad-hoc selection in Finder	Yes
Raycast extension	Keyboard-driven workflow	No
URL Scheme / Shortcuts	Custom automation pipelines	Yes

Start with drag-and-drop for immediate needs, then set up folder monitoring for workflows you repeat daily.

Ready to batch compress? Download Zipic — free for 25 images/day. Zipic Pro unlocks folder monitoring, unlimited compression, and full automation.

Full documentation: Image Compression Basic.