What are tar gz files and how to open or extract them?

Choose Extract Here to extract the file to your current location. Firstly, open an elevated command prompt by search for “cmd” on the Windows 11 or 10 search bar. Right-click “Command Prompt” from the search result and select “Run as administrator“.

In this guide, you will learn the steps to use native tar commands on Windows 11 using Command Prompt and Ubuntu to extract the content of a .tar.gz file. Although tar files are usually more common on Linux distros (for example, Ubuntu) and macOS for backups and archival, you may also come across these files on Windows 11. You could use third-party tools like 7-Zip and PeaZip, but these are not recommended as they don’t always work to extra .tar.gz files. Instead, you should be using the native tar support available on Windows 11 or a Linux distro in WSL.

Many online services allow you to upload your compressed files and convert them into a compatible format like ZIP. The process is simple, but it can take some time if the file is large. Once the conversion is complete, you can extract the contents of your .TGZ, .GZ, or .TAR.GZ file using the default Windows utility. Usually, tar files are more common with Ubuntu (other Linux distros) and macOS users for data archival and backups.

• An alternative way to extract TGZ, GZ, and TAR.GZ on Windows 11/10 is by converting the file to a ZIP file using a service or app that can convert between different file types.
• The .tar and .gz are usually used together to archive multiple files into a single file that is also compressed significantly, thus, with the combined extension of .tar.gz.
• However, as with any file, it is important to be cautious when downloading or opening .tar.gz files from unknown or suspicious sources.
• 7-Zip is widely considered the best free software due to its ease of use, comprehensive format support, and open-source nature.

How do I know if my TAR.GZ file is corrupted?

You have to download & install the third-party apps on the device. Later, select any one TAR file & it will be directly converted to the simple folder structure. It is assumed that you are extracting a tarball created on another system. We are skipping some arguments usually necessary to preserve permissions, which on Windows 10 are not required to access the files.

Alternatives: Using Windows Subsystem for Linux (WSL)

• Right-click “Command Prompt” from the search result and select “Run as administrator“.
• If the problem persists, try using a different extraction location or checking your disk space to make sure you have enough storage.
• You’ll want to replace “tarfile” with the path to the tar.gz file that you’re trying to extract.
• While this compression may sound complex, the process is seamless and reliable, ensuring your files are safe and accessible whenever and wherever needed.

We hope this article helps you access all the files you need. By following these steps, you should be able to extract your TGZ file with ease. If you encounter any issues, make sure to check that you have installed the correct software and that the file is not corrupted or damaged. You have to select the TAR File & want to choose the operation.

Can WinRAR open .tar.gz files?

In addition to 7Zip and WinRAR, there are other tools and methods available for extracting TAR.GZ files in Windows. However, these two applications are user-friendly and efficient. By following the steps provided in this article, you can easily extract TAR.GZ files and access their contents on your Windows machine. Since Windows doesn’t natively support .tar.gz files, extracting involves third-party tools or non-native commands. The following text outlines the process of extracting a .tar.gz file in a Windows environment. WinRAR is yet another popular file archiver tool widely used by users around the world to compress and uncompress files.

Method 1: Extract TAR Files Using Command Prompt

The Unzip to…option opens up another window with extra settings. You need to enable it through the Windows Features settings and then install a Linux distribution from the Microsoft Store. We could’ve followed the big-box approach—keep 40% for ourselves and sell write rfp proposal to you at full retail price. When a software developer offers a discount to one major retailer, they’re often required by law to offer the same deal to all approved resellers. On Windows 10, to use tar on Linux, you need to install the Windows Subsystem for Linux (WSL) and a distro like Ubuntu from the Microsoft Store.

Whether you’re using a third-party utility or command-line options, knowing how to extract .tgz files can help you manage compressed files efficiently. By following these steps, you’ll be able to unzip TAR files on Windows with ease and have access to the data you need without any hassle. However, Windows 10 includes native support for tar files, and you can use Command Prompt to extract these files.

Extract .tar.gz, .tgz, .gz tarballs on Windows 11 using tar

For a more GUI-friendly approach to extracting .tar.gz files, use 7-Zip. It usually doesn’t come preinstalled in older Windows systems. However, newer versions (starting from Windows 10) have it preinstalled.

How to extract tar.gz files using WinRAR?

A file using .tar.gz format is a file that has been created using the Unix-based archival application tar and then compressed using the gzip compression. These files are often referred to as “tarballs.” While you can find them with a double extension (.tar.gz), the extension can also be shortened to .tgz or .gz. TAR or Tape Archive file is an archive created by a Unix-based utility tar. These files are saved in an uncompressed format and include information about the files.

Using online tools carries security risks, as you are uploading your file to a third-party server. Only use reputable services with strong security policies, and avoid uploading sensitive data. Gzip is a compression algorithm used to reduce the size of the TAR archive. 7-Zip is widely considered the best free software due to its ease of use, comprehensive format support, and open-source nature.

If you want to extract the TAR Files on your local device, then have any third-party application on your device. There are many third-party applications present like 7-Zip or WinZip, etc. Before you move on, I wanted to ask if you would consider supporting my work. I’m on my own, and as an independent site, producing content takes a lot of work and dedication, and because of adblockers and AI, revenue is falling fast. Unlike many big sites, there is no paywall blocking readers here, so your help is needed. If you value independent work like this, please consider supporting me so I can keep doing what I love.

We will start with one simple command where no third-party application help will needed. Error messages can indicate a corrupted archive, insufficient disk space, or incorrect extraction settings. Verify the file integrity, free up disk space, and double-check your extraction command (especially if using WSL). The -C — (hyphen and capital C) option is used to change folders, and you have to specify the destination path, which starts with the /mnt/ annotation followed by the Windows path.