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ZIP to TAR Converter

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

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Max file size 50MB. Sign up for more.

ZIP to TAR: universal format to Unix archive

TAR is the native archiving format for Unix/Linux systems, preserving Unix file permissions, symbolic links, and ownership metadata that ZIP handles inconsistently. A bare TAR file is uncompressed — the conversion extracts files from the ZIP and concatenates them into a TAR stream with appropriate header blocks. The result is typically larger than the ZIP source since DEFLATE compression is removed. Pair with gzip (tar.gz) or xz for compression.

Convert ZIP to TAR for Linux/Unix deployment workflows, Docker image layers, and software distribution on Unix platforms. TAR preserves Unix permissions and symlinks that ZIP may mangle. Compress the result with gzip or xz for efficient storage.

ZIP vs TAR: Side-by-side

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

Property ZIP TAR
Full name ZIP Archive Tape Archive
Year introduced 1989 1979
Developer / standard body PKWARE (Phil Katz) AT&T Unix
MIME type application/zip application/x-tar
File extension .zip .tar
Compression DEFLATE (typically) None (often paired with gzip → .tar.gz)
Color / data depth N/A N/A
Max dimensions / size 4 GB per file (ZIP64 extension lifts this) 8 EB file size
Transparency No No
Animation No No
Standard / specification PKWARE APPNOTE / IETF RFC 1951 POSIX / IEEE 1003.1
Best for Universal archives — opens natively on Windows, macOS, Linux Unix / Linux backups, source-code distribution

ZIP to TAR FAQ

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

How do I convert ZIP to TAR without extracting files manually?
Upload your ZIP file to iFormat and click Convert. Every file and folder inside is extracted and re-packaged as TAR with the folder structure intact — no need to extract, reorganise, and re-compress yourself. It's free and needs no account.

Does converting ZIP to TAR keep my folder structure?
Yes. All files, nested folders, and the hierarchy inside your ZIP archive are preserved when they're re-compressed into TAR, so the contents open exactly as they were organised.

Why convert ZIP to TAR?
ZIP is the universal archive format good for compressing files on any OS. TAR is a Unix archive container best for Linux and server backups. Convert when the recipient's software opens TAR 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 ZIP archive is byte-for-byte identical after it's re-packaged as TAR.

Can I convert ZIP to TAR 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 ZIP archive, convert to TAR, and download.

What is ZIP?
ZIP is the universal archive format, typically used for compressing files on any OS. Converting it to TAR makes the file easier to open, share, or upload where ZIP is not supported.

Why convert ZIP to TAR?
TAR is the standard for Linux package distribution and server deployment. Many build tools, CI/CD pipelines, and Linux utilities expect TAR archives. Adding gzip compression (tar.gz) produces files comparable in size to ZIP.
Need the reverse conversion?
Convert TAR back to ZIP with our companion tool.
TAR to ZIP converter

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