How to download multiple files from monday.com as one ZIP
Key takeaways
- Can you download all files from a monday.com item at once?
- Not natively — monday.com downloads attachments one at a time. The File Compress app by ColumnMate bundles them into one ZIP that you download in a single click.
- How does it work?
- File Compress reads every file in a Files column, packs them into one ZIP on its server, and writes the ZIP back to a column on the same item.
- Do I need to download the files first?
- No. The bundling happens server-side. You only download the finished ZIP.
- Can a client download the ZIP without a monday.com seat?
- Yes, if you share the file link or a sharable view. The ZIP is a normal monday.com file attachment.
Downloading multiple files from monday.com as one ZIP is a two-part job: monday.com itself only downloads Files column attachments one at a time, so first you bundle them into a single ZIP archive with the File Compress app by ColumnMate, then download that one file.
Why there is no native "download all"
monday.com treats each attachment as an independent file on the item. There is no folder, no select-all, no archive export. For an item with fifteen deliverables, that is fifteen clicks and fifteen files scattered in your Downloads folder with no structure.
File Compress adds the missing step. Its Zip Files automation action, built on the archiver library, reads the whole column and produces one archive.
Step by step
- An admin installs File Compress from the monday.com marketplace.
- In the board's automation center, add a Zip Files recipe with a button trigger. Add a button column called "Download" if the board does not have one.
- Set the source Files column (the attachments to bundle) and a target Files column (where the ZIP goes).
- On the item you want, click the button. The ZIP is built server-side.
- Open the ZIP from the target column and download it — one file, all attachments inside, original names preserved.
Downloading for many items without clicking through each one
If you regularly need a bundle per item — client handoffs, monthly report packages, project closeouts — automate it:
When Status changes to Package, zip files from Deliverables into Download.
Every item that hits that status gets a ready-to-download ZIP. See how I automatically compress client deliverables in monday.com.
Can the client download it themselves?
Yes. Share the ZIP's file link, or give the client a sharable view filtered to their items. They download the single ZIP with no monday.com account needed.
The short version
monday.com cannot download a Files column as one archive. File Compress bundles the column into a single ZIP on the server and writes it back to the item; you download that. Automate it with a status trigger when you need it per item. Compress large files first. See how to zip multiple files in monday.com and the setup guide.
Frequently asked questions
- How do I download multiple files from monday.com as one ZIP?
- Install File Compress and add a Zip Files recipe with a button trigger. Click the button on the item to build the ZIP, then open it from the target column and download it.
- Does monday.com have a "download all attachments" feature?
- No. You can open each file and download it individually, but there is no built-in bundle-and-download. An app is required.
- Can I zip files from several items at once?
- Each Zip Files run works on one item's column. For many items, use a status-triggered recipe and a batch status change so each item gets its own ZIP.
- What is the size limit on the ZIP?
- The ZIP must be within the 500MB monday.com upload limit. Compress large images and PDFs first if the total is close.
- Are the original files removed when I zip them?
- No. Zipping adds a ZIP file; it never deletes the source attachments.
Zack
File Compress Developer at ColumnMate. Writes about file management, storage, and automation inside monday.com.
Related reading
Compress and zip files without leaving monday.com
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