Open Z files in your browser
The compression of early Unix, with its capital Z. Open a .Z or .tar.Z from an old server or tape right here. 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 Z
The compress command was the usual way to shrink files on Unix from the mid 1980s, and it marks them with a capital .Z. Spencer Thomas wrote its first version, based on the LZW method published in 1984.
LZW was patented, so gzip took its place in the 1990s, and gzip can still unpack .Z files. Old FTP sites and software archives hold many .Z and .tar.Z files.
A .Z holds one file, often a TAR. Filepeek unpacks it with 7-Zip compiled to WebAssembly: a .tar.Z opens straight to the files of the TAR, and a lone .Z holding one file opens it right away.
Unix compressed file
.z
Format
- MIME type
- application/x-compress
- Made by
- Spencer Thomas and others
Inside the file
- Compression
- LZW
- Holds
- One file, often a TAR
- Tarballs
- .tar.Z
- Replaced by
- gzip
Opens in every browser
No browser opens a .Z file by itself. Filepeek unpacks it with 7-Zip in Chrome, Edge, Firefox and Safari.
- YouChromeOpens through Filepeek
- YouEdgeOpens through Filepeek
- YouFirefoxOpens through Filepeek
- YouSafariOpens through Filepeek
Questions
How do I open a .Z file?
Drop it on this page or choose Peek a Z. A .tar.Z lists its files like a folder, and a lone .Z opens the file inside right away, with no uncompress to run.
Is a .Z file the same as a .gz?
No. A .Z comes from Unix compress and a .gz from gzip, which replaced it. Filepeek opens both, and tells them apart by their first bytes.
What's inside a .tar.Z?
A TAR compressed with Unix compress. Filepeek lists the files of the TAR directly, like a folder.
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 file uploaded?
No. It's unpacked inside your browser and never leaves your device.