TAR Format

Everything about TAR files

Can Create

Yes

Can Extract

Yes

Extension

.tar

Platform

Unix/Linux native, all platforms with software

TAR Guides

How to Open TAR Files with 7-Zip

What Is a TAR File?

A TAR file is an archive format commonly used on Unix and Linux systems. TAR (Tape Archive) was originally designed for tape backup but is now used for general file bundling.

TAR files bundle multiple files into a single archive without compression. They are often combined with compression formats like gzip (.tar.gz or .tgz), bzip2 (.tar.bz2), or xz (.tar.xz).

TAR preserves Unix file metadata including permissions, ownership, timestamps, and symbolic links, making it ideal for Linux software distribution and backups.

Can 7-Zip Open TAR Files?

7-Zip can create and extract TAR files with full POSIX metadata support (permissions, ownership, symlinks).

7-Zip handles compressed TAR formats transparently: .tar.gz, .tar.bz2, .tar.xz are extracted in a single operation.

7-Zip can create .tar.gz and .tar.xz archives directly, combining TAR bundling with gzip or xz compression.

How to Extract TAR Files

Right-click the TAR file

Locate your .tar, .tar.gz, or .tar.xz file in Windows Explorer, right-click it, and navigate to "7-Zip".

Choose extraction option

Select "Extract Here" to extract in the current folder. For .tar.gz files, 7-Zip handles both layers (gzip + tar) automatically.

Access extracted files

Files are extracted with their original directory structure. On Windows, Unix permissions may not be fully applicable.

How to Create TAR Archives

Select files to archive

Select the file(s) or folder(s) you want to bundle into a TAR archive.

Open the archive dialog

Right-click > 7-Zip > "Add to archive..." and set the format to "tar".

Create compressed TAR (optional)

For compressed archives, set format to "gzip" or "xz" — 7-Zip automatically creates a .tar.gz or .tar.xz file.

Create the archive

Click OK. 7-Zip creates the TAR file (uncompressed) or compressed variant.

How to Password Protect TAR Files

TAR format does not support password protection or encryption.

For secure archives, use 7z or ZIP format with AES-256 encryption instead.

Alternatively, encrypt a TAR file by placing it inside a password-protected 7z archive.

TAR Specifications

Extension	.tar
Compression	None (use .tar.gz or .tar.xz for compression)
Encryption	Not supported
Platform	Unix/Linux native, all platforms with software
Maximum Size	8 Exabytes (UStar), unlimited (PAX)
Developer	Free Software Foundation
MIME Type	application/x-tar

Common TAR Errors & Solutions

Cannot extract .tar.gz file

Cause: Software doesn't handle dual-layer compression.

Solution: 7-Zip handles .tar.gz transparently — right-click and extract. If using other software, you may need to extract gzip first, then extract the resulting .tar file.

TAR file extraction shows permission errors on Windows

Cause: Windows doesn't support Unix file permissions.

Solution: This is normal on Windows. The files extract correctly but Unix-specific permissions (like executable bits) don't apply. This doesn't affect file contents.

TAR vs 7Z

Feature	TAR	7z
Compression	None (needs external)	Built-in (LZMA2)
Encryption	No	AES-256
POSIX metadata	Yes (full support)	Limited
Linux native	Yes	No (needs 7z/p7zip)

TAR FAQ

What is a TAR file?

A TAR file is an archive format used on Unix/Linux systems. It bundles multiple files into one without compression. TAR files are often compressed with gzip (.tar.gz) or xz (.tar.xz).

Can 7-Zip open TAR files?

Yes. 7-Zip can open and extract TAR, .tar.gz, .tar.bz2, and .tar.xz files on Windows with full POSIX metadata support.

Can 7-Zip create TAR files?

Yes. 7-Zip can create TAR archives and also compressed variants (.tar.gz, .tar.xz). Right-click > 7-Zip > Add to archive and select the format.

What is .tar.gz?

A .tar.gz file is a TAR archive compressed with gzip. It's a two-layer format: gzip compresses the TAR bundle. 7-Zip handles both layers automatically during extraction.

Can Windows open TAR files?

Windows 10/11 can open some TAR files natively, but 7-Zip provides better support including .tar.gz, .tar.xz, and POSIX metadata handling.

Is TAR compressed?

TAR itself does not compress — it only bundles files. Compression is provided by external tools: gzip (.tar.gz), bzip2 (.tar.bz2), or xz (.tar.xz).