TAR.GZ (also written .tgz) is a TAR bundle compressed with GZIP. This is the standard format for source code distributions, Linux packages, and macOS Time Machine-style backups. You'll encounter it when downloading software from GitHub, developer tools, or server backups.
AnExplorer opens .tar.gz and .tgz files natively — just tap to browse or extract.
Quick Answer
Open AnExplorer → tap the .tar.gz file → browse contents. Or long-press → Extract to decompress everything to a folder.
Step-by-Step: Extract a TAR.GZ File
- Navigate to the
.tar.gzfile in AnExplorer - Tap to open — browse the archive structure
- To extract all: long-press the file → Extract → choose folder
- Decompression happens in two stages (GZIP decompress, then TAR extract)
- Files land in the chosen folder
TAR.GZ Explained
TAR.GZ is two operations combined:
- TAR bundles files into one archive (no compression, just packaging)
- GZIP compresses the resulting
.tarfile
This two-step approach is standard in Unix systems because it lets TAR handle structure while GZIP handles compression. Unlike ZIP, which compresses individual files, GZIP compresses the entire bundle — which often gives better ratios.
Common Sources of TAR.GZ Files
| Source | What It Is |
|---|---|
| GitHub repository download | repository-main.tar.gz — source code |
| Homebrew formula | macOS package .tar.gz |
| Linux apt source | Debian source packages |
| Server backup tools | cPanel backups, Plesk backups |
macOS .tar.gz backup | Files exported from macOS Terminal |
| npm / pip package source | Node.js and Python package tarballs |
What Can You Do with TAR.GZ Contents on Android?
- Source code: Browse and read — can't compile on Android without developer tools
- Documentation: Extract HTML/Markdown docs — readable in AnExplorer or browser
- Config files: Extract
.env,.yaml,.jsonconfigs — edit in AnExplorer's text editor - Media files: Extract images, audio, video directly and open in apps
- Backup data: Extract to restore files
TAR.GZ vs ZIP vs 7Z
| Format | Typical size reduction | Speed | Android native |
|---|---|---|---|
.tar.gz | 30–60% | Fast | No (AnExplorer) |
.tar.bz2 | 35–65% | Slow | No (AnExplorer) |
.zip | 20–50% | Fast | Limited |
.7z | 40–70% | Slow | No (AnExplorer) |
Troubleshooting
"Cannot open as archive" for a .tar.gz file
- The file may have a wrong extension — some
.tar.gzfiles are incorrectly named.taror.gzonly - Try long-press → Open as archive to force archive interpretation
- If it's truly a
.gz(single compressed file, not a TAR bundle), AnExplorer will just decompress it to a single file
Extraction seems to produce only one large .tar file
- This means AnExplorer decompressed the GZIP layer but didn't extract the TAR layer
- Try opening the resulting
.tarfile in AnExplorer and extract again
Related Guides
- Open TAR Files — uncompressed TAR archives
- Open ZIP Files — ZIP archive extraction
- Open 7Z Files — high-compression 7-Zip format
- Transfer from Mac to Android — move TAR.GZ files from macOS