Open TAR files in your browser
The archive of Unix and Linux, named for the tapes it was made for. Open a TAR right here, see every file and open the ones you need. Nothing leaves your device.
Or drop it anywhere on this page
What you'll see
Your archive opens like a folder, its files listed on the left.
- Listed like a folder • Unpacks only what you pick
- Locked archives • Hidden file names included
- Search • Find any file by its name
- Export • Save as ZIP or Extract all
About TAR
TAR, short for tape archive, came with Seventh Edition Unix in 1979 to write files to tape. Linux and macOS still bundle files with it, and source code and backups often come as TAR files.
A TAR only strings files together, with their folders, dates and permissions, and compresses nothing. So it's usually compressed as a whole by another tool, as .tar.gz, .tar.bz2, .tar.xz or .tar.zst, often called a tarball.
No browser opens a TAR by itself. Filepeek reads it in small pieces straight from your disk, lists its files like a folder and unpacks only the one you pick. Save as ZIP turns it into a ZIP that any phone or computer opens.
Tape archive
.tar
Format
- MIME type
- application/x-tar
- Made by
- Bell Labs
- Released
- 1979
Inside the file
- Compression
- None of its own
- Holds
- Files, folders, dates and permissions
- Variants
- ustar, pax and GNU
- Compressed as
- .tar.gz, .tar.bz2, .tar.xz or .tar.zst
Opens in every browser
No browser opens TAR by itself. Filepeek lists and unpacks it in Chrome, Edge, Firefox and Safari, compressed tarballs included.
- YouChromeOpens through Filepeek
- YouEdgeOpens through Filepeek
- YouFirefoxOpens through Filepeek
- YouSafariOpens through Filepeek
Questions
How do I open a TAR file?
Drop it on this page or choose Peek a TAR. Its files are listed like a folder, and the one you pick opens right away, with no command line or app.
Does it open .tar.gz and other tarballs?
Yes. A .tar.gz, .tgz, .tar.bz2, .tar.xz or .tar.zst opens straight to the files of the TAR inside, with no second step.
What's the difference between TAR and ZIP?
A ZIP compresses each file on its own, so any one comes out quickly. A tarball is compressed as a whole, which often saves more space, but it's read from the start to reach a file.
Can I turn it into a ZIP?
Yes. Choose Export, then Save as ZIP. Phones and computers open the ZIP without an app.
Is my archive uploaded?
No. The TAR is read inside your browser and never leaves your device. Nothing in it runs.