What is TAR (tape archive)?
TAR bundles many files into one without compressing them; it is the basis of tar.gz and the standard on Linux.
Plain TAR is mostly a building block: compressed with gzip it becomes tar.gz. Convert TAR to ZIP if Windows users need to open it with a double-click.
File extensions: .tarMIME types: application/x-tar
Advantages
- Simple and extremely widespread on Unix
- Streams well, ideal for backups
- Keeps long paths via PAX headers
Disadvantages
- No compression on its own
- No index: reading one file means scanning the archive
- Windows users often need extra tools
Typical uses
- Linux and server backups
- Source code releases
- Container images and packaging
Compatibility
Native on Linux and macOS; Windows 10 and 11 include a tar command, and 7-Zip opens it too.
Convert TAR to another format
Convert to TAR 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.