How to use the Extract TAR.GZ
- Choose the file: a plain .tar, or one compressed as .tar.gz/.tgz, .tar.xz/.txz or .tar.bz2/.tbz2. A lone compressed file such as report.csv.gz works too.
- Click Extract. The gzip, bzip2 or xz wrapper is removed, then the TAR is opened.
- Save individual files, or choose Download all for a ZIP that keeps the directory structure.
Two layers, one click
A TAR only strings files and folders together into a single stream; it does not shrink anything. Gzip, bzip2 and xz compress one stream and have no idea what a folder is. Unix systems combine them, which is where the double extension comes from.
Many Windows unzip programs peel off only the outer layer and leave you holding a .tar you must open a second time. Here both steps happen together and you see the real documents.
Which wrapper you were sent
Gzip is quick and by far the most common for hosting backups. Bzip2 runs slower and usually gives a somewhat smaller file. Xz, built on LZMA2, is smallest of the three and is what many Linux distributions now use for packages.
If the .gz holds a single file rather than a tarball, for example a compressed CSV export, you simply get that one file back.
Handing the files on
Every file appears as a button carrying its name; hover over it to see the full path, such as exports/2026/march.csv. For colleagues who only need a spreadsheet or two, save those directly.
If the whole backup must go to someone on Windows, Download all produces a ZIP of the complete tree, which File Explorer opens without extra software.
Questions
Are Unix permissions applied to my downloads?
No. The browser saves ordinary files, so owners, execute bits and symbolic links are not reproduced. File contents and folder paths are exact.
Do hidden dot-files come out?
Yes. Files such as .htaccess or .env.example in a website backup are extracted like any other file.
Is .tar.zst supported?
Not at present. Zstandard tarballs are not among the formats this page has been tested with.