What happens when you convert TAR to TGZ
- The TAR is compressed with gzip in your browser exactly as it is, so every file and folder inside it keeps its name, date and permissions. Nothing is uploaded.
- TGZ and TAR.GZ are the same format with two spellings. tar on Mac and Linux, Windows 10 and later, 7-Zip and The Unarchiver all open both.
How to convert TAR to TGZ online
- Press "Choose TAR files" and select one or more files, or drag them onto the box. You can add files of any size your device can hold in memory.
- There are no settings to choose: the converter keeps everything the target format can hold.
- Press "Convert to TGZ". Nothing large needs to download: your browser compresses the file itself, in a moment for most files.
- Save each TGZ with its download button. Close the tab and every trace of the files is gone from memory.
Why convert TAR to TGZ?
TAR files usually come from software source code and Linux and Mac backups. People convert them to TGZ because TGZ is the usual way to ship files to Linux and Mac servers, and tar unpacks it on every Linux, Mac and Windows 10 or later computer.
In short, TAR is good at what it was made for, and TGZ is the more practical choice when the file has to open, upload or print somewhere else. TAR opens natively on macOS and Linux, and with tar or 7-Zip on Windows, while TGZ opens natively on macOS and Linux, and with 7-Zip on Windows.
How to convert TAR to TGZ on Windows, Mac, iPhone and Android
On Windows
Open this page in Chrome, Edge or Firefox, drag your TAR files in from File Explorer, and press Convert. Each TGZ is saved to your Downloads folder.
On a Mac
Safari, Chrome and Firefox all work. Drag the TAR files from Finder onto the drop zone and the TGZ files land in Downloads.
On iPhone and iPad
Open the page in Safari and tap Choose TAR files. You can pick from Photos or from the Files app. The converted TGZ appears in Files, in the Downloads folder.
On Android
Open the page in Chrome, tap Choose TAR files and pick them from Files or your gallery. The TGZ is saved to the Download folder, where any file manager can find it.
Best settings for TAR to TGZ
There is nothing to set: every file in the TAR is copied into the TGZ as it is.
Large archives are unpacked into your browser's memory, so very big ones, several gigabytes, are better handled by a desktop program such as 7-Zip. Archives split into several parts (.part1.rar, .part2.rar) need all parts, which this tool does not join.
TAR vs TGZ: the differences
| TAR | TGZ | |
|---|---|---|
| Full name | Tape archive | Gzip-compressed tar archive |
| Type | archive | archive |
| Created by | Unix developers at Bell Labs | the GNU project |
| First released | 1979 | 1992 |
| Compression | Lossless | Lossless |
| What it holds | files and folders joined end to end, without compression | a TAR archive compressed with gzip |
| In a browser | opens natively on macOS and Linux, and with tar or 7-Zip on Windows | opens natively on macOS and Linux, and with 7-Zip on Windows |
| Common uses | software source code and Linux and Mac backups | source code releases and Linux software |
| MIME type | application/x-tar | application/gzip |
About TAR and TGZ files
What is a TAR file?
A TAR file bundles files without compressing them; it keeps Unix permissions and folder structure. It is usually compressed again with gzip, giving a .tar.gz or .tgz file.
What is a TGZ file?
TGZ is short for .tar.gz: a TAR bundle compressed as a whole with gzip. It is the standard way Linux and open-source projects distribute source code.
TAR to TGZ not working? Common problems
- The archive will not open. It may be password protected, damaged, or one part of a multi-part archive.
- The browser tab stops on a big archive. Everything is unpacked in memory; very large archives are better handled by 7-Zip or The Unarchiver.
- Files have odd names. Archives made on some older systems store names in a local character set; the files themselves are intact.
Convert TAR to TGZ from the command line
gzip, built into Mac and Linux, compresses the TAR as it is:
gzip -c input.tar > output.tgzThe converter on this page does the same job in your browser, without installing anything.
TAR to TGZ converter FAQ
Will I lose quality converting TAR to TGZ?
No. Archives are lossless: every file comes out byte for byte identical.
Why is the TGZ a different size from the TAR?
Smaller than the TAR, often by half or more for text and documents; files that are already compressed, such as photos and videos, hardly shrink.
Are my TAR files uploaded anywhere?
No. The conversion runs inside this browser tab using your browser's own gzip compression, so your files stay on your device. You can disconnect from the internet after the page and converter engine have loaded and it still works.
Can I convert several TAR files to TGZ at once?
Yes. Select or drop as many files as you like; they are converted one after another and each gets its own download button.
How do I open a TGZ file?
TGZ opens natively on macOS and Linux, and with 7-Zip on Windows. TGZ is common for source code releases and Linux software.
Is this TAR to TGZ converter free?
Yes. There is no sign-up, no watermark and no limit on how many files you convert. The site is paid for by advertising, and because conversions run on your device there is no server cost per file.
Can I convert TAR to TGZ on my phone?
Yes. The converter works in Safari on iPhone and iPad and in Chrome on Android. Converted files are saved to the Downloads folder.