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ZIP to TAR.GZ Converter

Turn ZIP files into TAR.GZ in a couple of clicks. The universal compressed archive. The standard Unix compressed bundle. Files are unpacked and repacked; their contents are unchanged.

On your deviceNever uploadedGone when you close the tabHow this works

Drop your files here

ZIP files (.zip) · up to 500 MB each

or paste files from your clipboard

Ready when you are

Drop a ZIP file above and FileTools360 will turn it into TAR.GZ — right here on your device, without uploading anything.

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How to use it

  1. 1

    Add your ZIP files

    Drag them onto the upload area, choose them from your device, or paste them from your clipboard. You can queue several at once.

  2. 2

    Adjust the settings if you want to

    The defaults suit most people. Open Advanced to control the output settings.

  3. 3

    Convert and download

    Press Convert. Everything happens on your own device — nothing is uploaded. Download files one by one, or grab them all as a ZIP.

ZIP and TAR.GZ explained

ZIP bundles multiple files into one and compresses them. Its indispensable property is that every operating system can open it with no extra software.

A .tar.gz is a TAR archive that has been compressed with gzip — bundling and compression handled by two separate, composable tools.

Where ZIP files come from
Email attachments, downloads and file transfers.
Where TAR.GZ is used
Source code releases, Linux packages and server backups.

ZIP vs TAR.GZ

The two formats solve different problems, which is why converting between them involves trade-offs rather than a straight upgrade.

ZIP compared with TAR.GZ
PropertySourceTarget
CompressionLosslessLossless
Introduced1989
Browser supportBuilt into every operating system.Native on macOS and Linux.
ZIP is stronger at
Built into Windows, macOS and Linux. Individual files can be extracted without unpacking everything. Optional encryption.
TAR.GZ is stronger at
Preserves Unix permissions and symlinks. Good compression. The standard for Unix software distribution.

Why convert ZIP to TAR.GZ?

People make this switch when they run into the limits of ZIP: maximum compression matters more than compatibility. TAR.GZ is the better fit when distributing or backing up on Unix-like systems.

ZIP limitations that prompt the switch
Compresses each file separately, so it is less efficient than solid archives. Its encryption has known weaknesses in the older variant. Filename encoding issues across platforms.
What you give up
Extracting one file requires decompressing the whole archive. Needs extra software on Windows.

What is preserved when converting ZIP to TAR.GZ?

Both formats store the content without discarding data, so this conversion preserves it exactly. The file size may change because the two formats compress differently, but the content itself is unaffected.

About these formats

Source

ZIP Archive

The universal compressed archive.

Extensions
.zip
MIME type
application/zip
Best for
Bundling files · Email attachments · Downloads
Compatibility
Built into every operating system.

Target

Gzip-Compressed Tape Archive

The standard Unix compressed bundle.

Extensions
.tar.gz, .tgz
MIME type
application/gzip
Best for
Source distributions · Backups · Linux packaging
Compatibility
Native on macOS and Linux.

Unpacks the source and writes a fresh gzip-compressed tarball. Contents are byte-identical; permissions and symlinks are not preserved.

Good to know

ZIP to TAR.GZ Converter — questions

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FileTools360 by the numbers

521 converters and tools65 file formatsnothing ever uploaded.