What is TAR.GZ / TGZ (gzip-compressed TAR)?
A tar.gz file is a TAR archive compressed with gzip, the most common archive format on Linux and for software downloads.
tar.gz files are everywhere in the Linux world but awkward on older Windows PCs. Converting tar.gz to ZIP makes them open with a double-click; the files inside stay exactly the same.
File extensions: .tar.gz, .tgzMIME types: application/gzip
Advantages
- Compresses the whole archive in one stream, often smaller than ZIP
- Standard for Linux, macOS and open-source projects
- Keeps folder structure and long paths
Disadvantages
- Windows Explorer opens it only in recent versions
- No quick access to single files
- Re-compressing means unpacking everything
Typical uses
- Software and source code downloads
- Server backups
- Log and data exports
Compatibility
Native on Linux and macOS; Windows 11 opens it in Explorer, older Windows needs 7-Zip or similar.
Convert TAR.GZ to another format
Convert to TAR.GZ from another format
Frequently asked questions
Are my files uploaded to a server?
No. The conversion runs entirely in your browser with local code. Your files never leave your device, and there is no upload.
Is there a file size limit?
There is no limit on our side, but your browser memory is. Images work for very large files; for videos, files above a few hundred megabytes can fail on devices with little memory.
Will the quality suffer?
That depends on the target format and settings. Use the quality option to balance size and detail; lossless targets keep everything the source contained.
Which browsers are supported?
Current versions of Chrome, Edge, Firefox and Safari. Fast hardware paths are used where available, with a compatible fallback otherwise.