TAR to GZ Converter

Convert TAR to TAR.GZ online for free. Fast, secure archive conversion that preserves folder structure and file integrity. No software installation required.

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TAR vs GZ: Side-by-side

Technical comparison of the two formats — useful for deciding which to use, or for confirming what changes during conversion.

Property	TAR	GZ
Full name	Tape Archive	GNU Zip
Year introduced	1979	1992
Developer / standard body	AT&T Unix	GNU Project
MIME type	application/x-tar	application/gzip
File extension	.tar	.gz
Compression	None (often paired with gzip → .tar.gz)	DEFLATE (single-file compression)
Color / data depth	N/A	N/A
Max dimensions / size	8 EB file size	4 GB uncompressed (typical)
Transparency	No	No
Animation	No	No
Standard / specification	POSIX / IEEE 1003.1	IETF RFC 1952
Best for	Unix / Linux backups, source-code distribution	Single-file compression, often inside .tar.gz archives

About the TAR Format

TAR (Tape Archive) is a Unix file archiving format created in 1979 for writing data to sequential tape drives. Unlike ZIP or 7Z, TAR does not compress files on its own — it simply bundles multiple files and directories into a single archive while preserving Unix file permissions, ownership, timestamps, and symbolic links. This makes TAR the standard choice for software distribution and system backups on Linux and macOS.

TAR is almost always paired with a compression tool: TAR.GZ (gzip) is the most common combination, offering good speed and reasonable compression. TAR.BZ2 (bzip2) achieves better compression at the cost of slower processing, while TAR.XZ (xz/LZMA2) produces the smallest archives. Because TAR preserves the full Unix filesystem metadata that ZIP discards, it remains essential for packaging source code, deploying server configurations, and creating system images where file permissions must survive the round trip.

TAR to GZ FAQ

Quick answers about compatibility, quality, metadata handling, and the most common reasons to convert TAR files to GZ.

How do I convert TAR to GZ without extracting files manually?

Upload your TAR file to iFormat and click Convert. Every file and folder inside is extracted and re-packaged as GZ with the folder structure intact — no need to extract, reorganise, and re-compress yourself. It's free and needs no account.

Does converting TAR to GZ keep my folder structure?

Yes. All files, nested folders, and the hierarchy inside your TAR archive are preserved when they're re-compressed into GZ, so the contents open exactly as they were organised.

Why convert TAR to GZ?

TAR is a Unix archive container good for Linux and server backups. GZ is gzip compression best for compressed single files on Unix. Convert when the recipient's software opens GZ more easily, or when you need its compression or compatibility.

Are the files inside the archive changed during conversion?

No — the individual files are only re-compressed, not modified. A document, photo, or spreadsheet inside your TAR archive is byte-for-byte identical after it's re-packaged as GZ.

Can I convert TAR to GZ on Mac, Windows, or Linux?

Yes. iFormat works in any modern browser on any operating system — no need to install WinRAR, 7-Zip, or any other desktop tool. Upload the TAR archive, convert to GZ, and download.

Is there a file size limit for TAR to GZ conversion?

The free plan supports files up to 50 MB, which covers the large majority of TAR files. For longer or higher-resolution files, Starter raises the limit to 100 MB, Plus to 1 GB, and Pro to 5 GB.

What is tar.gz?

A tar.gz (or .tgz) file is a TAR archive compressed with gzip. It's the most common archive format on Linux and the standard for source code distribution. The TAR bundles files; gzip compresses the bundle.

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