You can easily split large files into smaller, manageable chunks on both Windows and Mac using either built-in terminal commands (completely free and fast) or popular graphical archive tools.
Here is how to do it effortlessly on both platforms, along with instructions on how to combine them back into the original file.
💻 Method 1: Splitting Files on Mac (Using Built-in Terminal)
Mac has a powerful built-in tool called split that requires no third-party software installation. How to Split:
Open the Terminal app (Press Cmd + Space, type “Terminal”, and press Enter).
Type split -b followed by the size you want each part to be (e.g., 100m for 100 Megabytes or 2g for 2 Gigabytes) and a space: split -b 100m Use code with caution.
Drag and drop the large file from your Finder window directly into the Terminal window. This automatically copies the correct file path.
Press Enter. Terminal will silently cut the file into smaller parts (named xaa, xab, xac, etc.) in your user directory. How to Recombine on Mac:
To piece them back together into the original file, open Terminal in the folder containing all the chunks and type: cat xa> original_filename.ext Use code with caution.
(Replace original_filename.ext with your actual original file’s name and extension, such as video.mp4). 🪟 Method 2: Splitting Files on Windows (Using 7-Zip)
While Windows has command-line tools, the easiest and most user-friendly approach is using the free, open-source application 7-Zip. How to Split: Download and install 7-Zip from its official web source. Open File Explorer and find your large file.
Right-click the file, hover over 7-Zip, and select Add to archive.
Look for the Split to volumes, bytes field in the lower-left area.
Type your desired chunk size (e.g., type 100M for 100 Megabytes, or 2G for 2 Gigabytes).
Change the Compression level to Store if you want the process to finish instantly without compressing the data.
Click OK. Sequential files ending in .zip.001, .zip.002, etc., will generate in the same folder. How to Recombine on Windows:
Make sure all the numbered chunks are sitting in the exact same folder. Right-click only the first file (the one ending in .001).
Hover over 7-Zip and choose Extract Here or Extract Files. 7-Zip will automatically read all subsequent numbered files and rebuild your original file. ⚡ Summary Reference Table Recommended Tool Chunk Name Suffixes Mac Built-in Terminal (split) Speed, zero downloads
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