TAR to ZIP Converter
Convert TAR to ZIP online for free. Fast, secure, and high-quality conversion with no sign-up or software required.
Maximum file size is 1GB
How it works
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
Hit Convert and grab your download link moments later. Originals are erased when the job completes; results are cleared within about an hour.
What is a TAR file?
The TAR (Tape Archive) format is a file format standardized by POSIX.1-1988 and later POSIX.1-2001 (pax), originally developed for writing data to sequential I/O devices like magnetic tape drives. Unlike modern archive formats, TAR is purely a container format that concatenates multiple files into a single archive without native compression, preserving file system attributes such as user/group permissions, dates, and directory structures. It is frequently paired with compression utilities like Gzip or Bzip2 in Unix-like environments.
How to open a TAR file
Most Unix-based systems (Linux, macOS, BSD) include native support via the GNU Tar command-line utility. Windows does not natively support TAR extraction in versions prior to Windows 10 (Build 17063), requiring third-party tools. For cross-platform compatibility, 7-Zip and WinRAR are standard utilities for inspecting and extracting TAR containers.
TAR Technical Info
- Full Name
- Tape Archive
- Developed By
- AT&T Bell Laboratories
- Initial Release
- 1979
- MIME Type
- application/x-tar
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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Why RunConvert
The fastest way to convert any file
Purpose-built for speed, privacy, and breadth of format support.
Convert TAR to ZIP in seconds
Every TAR to ZIP conversion runs on our servers, so your device stays fast and the output quality stays intact.
Fast, cloud-powered
No queue, no waiting. Files are processed on high-performance servers and returned in seconds, even for large files.
Secure & private
Encrypted in transit and never shared with anyone. Uploads are erased the moment your job completes, and results shortly after.
Free - no account needed
Convert without creating an account - no credit card, no trial clock. Sign in only if you want history and higher daily limits.
Developer API
Convert TAR to ZIP via API
Automate TAR 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": "tar-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 "$UPLOAD_URL" --upload-file input.tar
# 3. Poll for result
curl https://api.runconvert.com/v3/jobs/$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 TAR to ZIP with RunConvert.
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