---
title: ".gz file — what it is and how to open it"
description: "A .gz file is a Gzip Compressed File. A single compressed file — it holds no folder structure of its own. How to open one on Windows, macOS and Linux, and what to convert it to."
url: https://atoneplace.net/file/gz/
site: "At One Place"
---

# .gz files

**.gz file: Gzip Compressed File**

A single compressed file — it holds no folder structure of its own.

## What opens a .gz file

- **Windows:** File Explorer (built in, Windows 11), 7-Zip, WinRAR
- **macOS:** Archive Utility (built in), Keka, gunzip (Terminal)
- **Linux:** Archive Manager / File Roller (built in), gunzip, Ark

## What a .gz file is

Gzip compresses exactly one file, which is why it is nearly always applied to a .tar bundle to give .tar.gz. It is also the compression browsers and web servers negotiate for pages in transit. Windows 11 File Explorer now extracts .gz and .tar.gz; on macOS and Linux, double-clicking or the gunzip command does it.

## Converting it

A .gz file is commonly converted to .zip, .7z, .tar or .xz. It is a binary format, so a text editor will show unreadable characters rather than its contents.

## Details

- **Extension:** .gz
- **Full name:** Gzip Compressed File
- **Category:** Archives
- **MIME type:** application/gzip
- **Created by:** GNU Project
- **Format:** Binary

## Common questions

### How do I open a .gz file?

On Windows use File Explorer (built in, Windows 11); on macOS use Archive Utility (built in); on Linux use Archive Manager / File Roller (built in). A single compressed file — it holds no folder structure of its own.

### What is a .gz file?

Gzip Compressed File. Gzip compresses exactly one file, which is why it is nearly always applied to a .tar bundle to give .tar.gz. It is also the compression browsers and web servers negotiate for pages in transit.

### Can I convert a .gz file?

Yes. It is usually converted to .zip, .7z, .tar or .xz, either by exporting from one of the programs listed above or with a format converter.

## Related pages

- [.zip — ZIP Archive](https://atoneplace.net/file/zip/)
- [.rar — RAR Archive](https://atoneplace.net/file/rar/)
- [.7z — 7-Zip Archive](https://atoneplace.net/file/7z/)
- [.tar — Tape Archive](https://atoneplace.net/file/tar/)
- [.tgz — Gzipped Tar Archive](https://atoneplace.net/file/tgz/)
- [.xz — XZ Compressed File](https://atoneplace.net/file/xz/)
- [.bz2 — Bzip2 Compressed File](https://atoneplace.net/file/bz2/)
- [.sfx — Self-Extracting Archive Module](https://atoneplace.net/file/sfx/)

## Sources

- Media Types Registry — IANA (https://www.iana.org/assignments/media-types/)
- Official vendor product documentation — At One Place (/about/)