---
title: ".tgz file — what it is and how to open it"
description: "A .tgz file is a Gzipped Tar Archive. Shorthand for .tar.gz — a tar bundle compressed with gzip. How to open one on Windows, macOS and Linux, and what to convert it to."
url: https://atoneplace.net/file/tgz/
site: "At One Place"
---

# .tgz files

**.tgz file: Gzipped Tar Archive**

Shorthand for .tar.gz — a tar bundle compressed with gzip.

## What opens a .tgz file

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

## What a .tgz file is

TGZ exists because early DOS and Windows filesystems allowed only one three-letter extension, so .tar.gz was shortened. It is the standard way source code and Linux packages are distributed. Extraction is a two-stage job — ungzip, then untar — which every modern archive tool does in one step.

## Converting it

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

## Details

- **Extension:** .tgz
- **Full name:** Gzipped Tar Archive
- **Category:** Archives
- **MIME type:** application/gzip
- **Created by:** GNU Project
- **Format:** Binary

## Common questions

### How do I open a .tgz 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). Shorthand for .tar.gz — a tar bundle compressed with gzip.

### What is a .tgz file?

Gzipped Tar Archive. TGZ exists because early DOS and Windows filesystems allowed only one three-letter extension, so .tar.gz was shortened. It is the standard way source code and Linux packages are distributed.

### Can I convert a .tgz file?

Yes. It is usually converted to .zip, .7z, .tar or .gz, 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/)
- [.gz — Gzip Compressed File](https://atoneplace.net/file/gz/)
- [.tar — Tape Archive](https://atoneplace.net/file/tar/)
- [.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/)