TAR.GZ Extractor

About the TAR.GZ extractor

.tar.gz and .tgz files come from the Linux world. You get them from GitHub releases, website backups, server logs and data downloads. On Linux you type tar -xzf file.tar.gz. On Windows and on a phone it is less easy.

This page opens them in your browser. You see every file and folder inside, with sizes and dates, and save the files you need. No command line and no app. The archive is never uploaded: it is read on your own device.

Features

• All the TAR kinds — .tar, .tar.gz, .tgz, .tar.bz2, .tbz2, .tar.xz and .txz
• Single .gz files — a file like data.csv.gz is unpacked to data.csv
• One step — the GZ, BZ2 or XZ layer and the TAR inside are opened together
• See before you save — the whole folder tree, with sizes and dates
• Save one file — one click on Save next to it
• Download all as ZIP — every file in one ZIP that Windows opens by itself
• Quick look — preview text files, logs, CSV, JSON and pictures before you save them
• Find a file — a search box for archives with thousands of files

What is a TAR.GZ file?

It is two steps in one file:

• TAR puts many files and folders together into one file. It does not make them smaller.
• GZ (gzip) then packs that one file to make it smaller.

So backup.tar.gz is a gzip-packed TAR. .tgz is the same thing with a shorter name. .tar.bz2 and .tar.xz use other packers: they are often smaller, but slower to make.

Which files work?

RAR, 7Z, ZIP and ISO files open on this page too.

Frequently asked questions

How do I open a .tar.gz file on Windows?

Drop it on the box on this page and press Save next to the files you want. On Windows 10 and 11 you can also type tar -xf file.tar.gz in a command window, if you like the command line.

What is the difference between .tar.gz and .tgz?

There is none. Both are a TAR archive packed with gzip. Old systems allowed only three letters after the dot, so .tgz was born.

Is my file uploaded?

No. The archive is read on your own device, inside the browser. The page downloads its archive reader from this site, but your file is never sent anywhere.

Are file permissions and links kept?

No. A browser saves plain files. Unix permissions (like "can run") are not kept, and links are listed but not saved. Files and folders are all there.

Can I open a .tar.gz file on an iPhone or Android phone?

Yes. Open this page in your browser and choose the file. A phone has less memory, so keep big archives to a few hundred MB.

Why does my .tar.gz file say it is damaged?

The file is probably cut off, for example by a download that did not finish. The files from the part that arrived are still listed. Download the file again for the rest.

Good to know

• The files you save keep their original names and folders.
• Hidden files (names that start with a dot, like .env) are shown and can be saved.
• Paths that start with ./ or / are cleaned up, so the folders look normal.
• Very big archives are limited by your device memory, about 1.5 GB on a computer.
• Big files are not unpacked at once, to save memory. Press Unpack next to the file, then Save.

Related tools

• RAR Extractor — open RAR files, also multi-part ones
• 7Z Extractor — open 7z files without 7-Zip
• Zip and Unzip Files — make a ZIP of your own files
• File Checksum — compare a download with its published SHA-256
• Find Text in Files — search the files after you saved them

How to use it

• Press Choose an archive, or drop your .tar.gz or .tgz file on the box
• Wait while the archive is unpacked and the folder tree is read
• Press Save next to a file to keep it
• Or press Download all as ZIP to get everything in one file
• Use Find a file when the archive holds many files
• Click the name of a text or picture file to look at it first