Convert TAR.GZ to ZIP
A .tar.gz is two formats stacked: a tar containing the files, wrapped in a single gzip stream. That is why Windows needs two steps to open one and why the contents cannot be browsed without decompressing the whole thing first.
Here the gzip layer is undone with the browser's own DecompressionStream — native code, no JavaScript in the hot loop — the tar inside is parsed, and each file is re-compressed into a new ZIP.
The archive is read by code running in this tab. It is not uploaded, not queued on a server, and not seen by anyone but you — which also means there is no size limit imposed from outside, only what your own device can hold.
- Step 1Drop a .tar.gz or .tgz file. Gzip is recognised by signature; what is inside is then checked for a tar header.
- Step 2If the gzip does not contain a tar, it is treated as one compressed file and named from the gzip header — no pretending.
- Step 3Convert to ZIP and download the verified result.
Drag archives here
.tar.gz, .tgz— or anything else, and the format will be identified from the file’s own bytes. Files stay on this device.
What this page will not do
Every limit below is a real one, checked against real archives. None of them are upsells — there is no paid tier, and nothing here gets better by signing in.
- The whole gzip stream must be decompressed before the tar inside can be listed. Gzip is not seekable, so there is no way to show a file list without expanding it first — this is a property of the format, not a shortcut taken here.
- The gzip trailer records the expanded size in only 32 bits, so for contents above 4 GB it wraps. It is used for progress display, never as the basis for a limit decision.
- Ownership, permissions and links behave exactly as on the TAR route: shown, not written.
- Multi-member gzip streams (several gzip files concatenated) decompress as a single stream, matching what gzip itself does.
If it did not work
“gzip (single file)” appears instead of a file list
Why: The gzip does not contain a tar — it is one compressed file, such as a .sql.gz or .log.gz.
Do this: That is handled correctly: you get the single decompressed file, named from the gzip header where present.
The listing takes a moment on a large file
Why: The gzip layer has to be fully decompressed before any entry can be seen.
Do this: It runs in a worker so the page stays responsive. Progress becomes per-entry once the tar is readable.
“unexpected end of file” style errors
Why: The download was truncated. gzip detects this because its trailer no longer matches.
Do this: Download the archive again and compare its size against the source.
Questions
Is .tgz the same thing?
Yes — .tgz is just a shorter spelling of .tar.gz, used where three-letter extensions were required. Both are handled identically, and detection is by content anyway.
Why not keep it as tar.gz?
If your tools handle it, do. Converting helps when the recipient is on Windows, when an upload form only accepts ZIP, or when you want to browse the contents without expanding the whole archive first.