GZ to ZIP Converter
Convert GZ to ZIP online for free. Fast, secure, and high-quality conversion with no sign-up or software required.
Maximum file size is 1GB
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Three steps to your converted file
Everything happens in your browser tab - upload, pick a format, download. The heavy lifting runs on our servers.
Upload your file
Drag and drop, click to browse, or paste a URL. Batches take up to 20 files at once - 230+ input formats across video, audio, image, document, and archive types.
Choose an output format
Pick from over a hundred output formats. Filter by category or search by name - every option is open to everyone, no account needed.
Convert & download
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What is a GZ file?
A GZ file is a compressed archive generated by the gzip (GNU zip) utility, originally developed by Jean-loup Gailly and Mark Adler in 1992 as a free software replacement for the LZW-patented Unix compress program. The format utilizes the DEFLATE algorithm, which combines LZ77 compression and Huffman coding to reduce file size losslessly. Defined by IETF RFC 1952, the GZ file structure includes a 10-byte header containing a magic number (0x1F 0x8B), compression method flags, and the original filename, followed by the compressed data stream and a CRC-32 checksum footer for error detection. Unlike ZIP archives, GZ is typically used to compress a single file or stream; multiple files are usually archived into a TAR file before compression, resulting in a .tar.gz extension.
How to open a GZ file
GZ files enjoy native support on Unix-like operating systems, including Linux and macOS, where they can be decompressed via the terminal using the gunzip command or opened with the built-in Archive Utility. On Microsoft Windows, native support is limited, necessitating third-party file archivers such as 7-Zip, WinRAR, or PeaZip to extract contents. Since GZ compresses a single bitstream, if the contained file is a TAR archive, users must perform a second extraction step to access the individual files within the resulting directory.
GZ Technical Info
- Full Name
- Gnu Zip
- Developed By
- The GNU Project (Jean-loup Gailly & Mark Adler)
- Initial Release
- 1992
- MIME Type
- application/gzip
What is a ZIP file?
The ZIP format is an archive file format capable of lossless data compression, originally created by Phil Katz of PKWARE. It utilizes a Central Directory structure to catalog files and supports various compression algorithms, most notably DEFLATE (RFC 1951). The format is standardized under ISO/IEC 21320-1:2015 as a document container file and serves as the base structure for modern file types like .docx and .jar.
How to open a ZIP file
The ZIP format enjoys universal native support across all major operating systems, including Windows (File Explorer), macOS (Archive Utility), and Linux. No third-party software is strictly required for basic extraction, though power users often employ tools like 7-Zip or WinRAR to access advanced features like AES-256 encryption or multi-volume spanning.
ZIP Technical Info
- Full Name
- ZIP Archive
- Developed By
- Phil Katz (PKWARE)
- Initial Release
- 1989
- MIME Type
- application/zip
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Every GZ to ZIP conversion runs on our servers, so your device stays fast and the output quality stays intact.
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Developer API
Convert GZ to ZIP via API
Automate GZ to ZIP conversions in three steps: create a job, upload your file, then poll for the result.
# 1. Create job
curl -X POST https://api.runconvert.com/v3/jobs \
-H "Authorization: Bearer YOUR_API_KEY" \
-H "Content-Type: application/json" \
-d '{
"tag": "gz-to-zip",
"tasks": {
"upload-file": {
"operation": "import/upload"
},
"convert": {
"operation": "convert",
"input": "upload-file",
"output_format": "zip"
},
"export-result": {
"operation": "export/url",
"input": "convert"
}
}
}'
# 2. Upload your file (use upload_url from the response)
curl -X PUT "$UPLOAD_URL" --upload-file input.gz
# 3. Poll for result
curl https://api.runconvert.com/v3/jobs/$JOB_ID?include=tasks \
-H "Authorization: Bearer YOUR_API_KEY"Replace YOUR_API_KEY with your RunConvert API key. Get your free API key at runconvert.com/api.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
Common questions about converting GZ to ZIP with RunConvert.
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