How to Extract Unzip tar.gz Files: Step-by-Step Windows and Linux Guide

The -list (-t) option will output a list of filenames. Again, the above commands will extract to the current working directory by default. You can use the -C option to extract to a different directory (in this case, /home/user/files). Of course, that’s not to say .tar files are some kind of “lesser” format than .zip. Rather, they both accomplish the same task (file compression) in the same way. On the other hand, Windows users can rely on third-party file archiver tools like 7-zip or WinRAR to effortlessly extract files.

Where .zip files consist of many individually compressed files, .tar files are compressed as a single package, leaving its files uncompressed. In other words, .zip files are a collection of compressed files, while .tar files are a compressed collection of files. You can create your own compressed .tar files using compression utilities such as gzip.

1. After reading this article, you know how to extract or unzip .tar.gz file in Linux using different methods and tools.
2. You can easily extract .tar.gz files using third-party tools like 7 zip and Winrar on the Windows system.
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4. As you might imagine, using a different compression utility on a .tar file will result in a different double extension.
5. Tar collected all the files into one package, but the files can be compressed with separate utilities.

Thankfully, unless you’re somehow missing your tar or gzip utility, most common errors are very easy to fix. Technical details aside, all you need to remember is that .zip files are more accessible but less space-efficient, while .tar files are less accessible but more space-efficient. As a result, one isn’t necessarily better than the other — it’s all a matter of application. A file using .tar.gz format is a file 4 ways to acquire bitcoin 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. Since .tar.gz compresses multiple files all at once, it can take advantage of similarities between individual files to save on space.

Extract Files to the Current Directory

Like many archive and compression formats, .tar.gz is an effective way to save storage space and make it easier to send large amounts of data. If you plan to distribute and store .tar.gz files on your website, Kinsta’s managed hosting services can help make the most of your space. Where commands have little (if any) room for typos or omissions, many common errors are the result of small mistakes, misspellings, or incorrect formats.

However, there are some pretty major differences when it comes to accessing data within the files and the compression efficiency. Knowing how to unzip a .tar.gz file allows users to extract and access the archives’ contents efficiently. It’s easy to get confused when navigating between .tar, .tar.gz, and .gz – not to mention zipping and unzipping tips for writing clean c# code them. Here are a few frequently asked questions we commonly hear from users working with .tar.gz files. This error occurs if you try to decompress a file without specifying a decompression utility, specifically -z for gzip. Like the tar utility, gzip also allows you to zip and unzip multiple files or entire directories at a time.

What command do I need to unzip/extract a .tar.gz file?

You can also add the verbose output option (-v) to provide detailed listings, including dates, securities/permissions, and more. After reading this article, you know how to extract or unzip .tar.gz file in Linux using different methods and tools. The command extracts files to a new directory called example1, which is located in the current directory.

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Gzip is one of the most popular and available options, especially since it comes built in to most Linux distributions and macOS. This error usually occurs when a .tar has been saved as a .gz despite having never been compressed using the gzip utility. It may sound like a silly mistake, but it’s surprisingly common in situations where users directly rename files and their extensions (such as .tar and .gz) in the process. With the command prompt open, use the appropriate commands to change the current working directory (cd) to the location of the .tar.gz file you want to unzip.

Snaps were developed by Canonical, the company behind Ubuntu, to package and distribute software focusing on security, sandboxing, and ease of installation and updates. They were officially introduced in Ubuntu 16.04 LTS, released in April 2016. Ubuntu Core is a minimalistic and immutable version explicitly designed for the Internet of Things (IoT) and embedded systems. Ubuntu is a Southern African philosophy and term originating from South Africa and Zimbabwe.

I am using 7zip v19.00, just right click and choose extract here will do the work. Although 7zip issues warning, the result is fine for me. To access the Windows command line, search for “command prompt” or “cmd” in the search bar.

Thankfully, you don’t need to be a 1960s computer technician to use and extract .tar files – nor do modern .tar files even have anything to do with old computers. When the archive is extracted, these attributes are restored. That means they maintain their original characteristics. This format is common in the Unix/Linux world and is widely used to create compressed archives. But it does not compress the data, which results in a larger file size compared to compressed formats.

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In this guide, you will learn how to extract or unzip .tar.gz files in Linux. Any remotely modern version of tar should auto-detect that the archive is gzipped, and add “z” for you. You may also be interested in learning about the best WinZip alternatives to compress files. That means users can download and use it for free during a trial period. Also, its trial version does not have time limitations, and users can still use it even after the trial period has expired, with occasional reminders to purchase the license.

Once you complete the steps, you will have all the files and folders extracted to the destination path you specified after a few moments. This guide will teach you the steps to use native tar commands on Windows 10 from Command Prompt and Ubuntu to extract the content of a .tar.gz file. Ubuntu LTS (Long-Term Support) versions, known for their stability and extended support periods, are typically released every two years in April. These are popular for organizations and users who require a reliable and well-supported Ubuntu operating system.

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The tar program takes one or more files and “wraps” them into a self-contained file. Similar to the previous error, this error occurs when an archive was saved as a .tar despite not being a .tar archive. However, while tools like 7-Zip are free, many more “robust” solutions are only available for a price after a trial period.

Therefore, you can also access many Linux tools, including tar, to quickly extract content from tarballs. The most often used algorithm for compressing tar files is Gzip. By convention, the name of a tar archive compressed with gzip becomes .tar.gz or .tgz. This command will extract (-x) the file (-f) specified (in this case, filename.tar.gz) to the current directory. Note that this command also works with other common compression formats such as .tar.bz2. Though gzip is the most common compression utility, it’s not the only one.

As a result, we recommend sticking to free (but trustworthy) tools or simply using the command line. You can also use –wildcards to extract all files with a certain extension or name. Otherwise, keep reading to learn how to unzip .tar.gz files in Linux, macOS, and Windows. This example uses example1.tar.gz in the Home directory. These files can be used in incremental backup strategies – where only new or modified files are added to the archive. Gzip compression reduces the overall file size, which makes it more efficient for distribution, backup, and storage purposes.