How to convert TAR to bzip2
- 1
Upload your file
Drag and drop a file or click to select one. Keep this page open while the file uploads and converts.
- 2
Convert TAR to bzip2
NexMedia converts TAR to bzip2 on its own servers. Processing time depends on the file size and how busy the queue is.
- 3
Download the converted file
When the conversion finishes, the download appears on this page. Your converted file is kept for 2 hours, then deleted.
About TAR
TAR (tape archive) bundles many files and folders into one file and keeps their Unix permissions, but it does not compress them.
Backups and software distribution on Linux and macOS, usually combined with gzip, bzip2 or xz.
A plain .tar file is about as large as the files inside, because no compression is applied.
Convert TAR to bzip2 online free, no account required — bzip2 is a single-file compressor using the Burrows–Wheeler transform.
Change TAR to bzip2 without losing quality — convert TAR to bzip2 free in your browser.
Why is my TAR file exactly the same size as its contents? TAR only bundles files together — it compresses nothing — so a 500 MB folder becomes a 500 MB archive until a compressor like gzip gets involved.
About bzip2
bzip2 (.bz2) compresses a single file using the Burrows–Wheeler transform, and usually packs smaller than gzip.
Compressing large single files such as data dumps, and as the outer layer of .tar.bz2 archives.
Like gzip it holds only one file, and it decompresses noticeably more slowly than gzip.
Why convert a file to BZ2? For archiving text-heavy data where every percent of size counts and CPU time is cheap.
What changes when you convert TAR to bzip2
- No data is lost: every file in your TAR archive is packed into the bzip2 archive byte for byte, with its name and folder.
- Your TAR archive is unpacked and its files are packed again into a new bzip2 archive; file names and folders are kept, and the TAR file itself is not stored inside.
- A bzip2 file holds a single file, so when your TAR archive contains several files they are first bundled into one TAR archive inside the bzip2.
Settings you can change
Before you convert TAR to bzip2, you can adjust: Compression level, Split size, Password, and Root folder.
Limits
Each plan sets a maximum file size and a number of conversions per day, and video and audio files also have a maximum length. Guests can convert files up to 100 megabytes and 5 per day; a free account raises this to 500 megabytes and 25 per day; paid plans go up to 100 gigabytes.
Your converted bzip2 file is kept for 2 hours, then deleted.
TAR to bzip2: questions and answers
Does converting TAR to bzip2 reduce quality?
No data is lost: every file in your TAR archive is packed into the bzip2 archive byte for byte, with its name and folder.
What is the difference between TAR and bzip2?
TAR is an uncompressed Unix archive. bzip2 is a single-file compressor using the Burrows–Wheeler transform.
Can I change the settings when converting TAR to bzip2?
Before you convert TAR to bzip2, you can adjust: Compression level, Split size, Password, and Root folder.
Do I need an account to convert TAR to bzip2?
No. You can convert TAR to bzip2 without an account; signing in raises the file-size and daily limits.
How long is my converted bzip2 file kept?
The bzip2 file you convert from TAR is kept for 2 hours, then deleted automatically.
Does converting TAR to bzip2 keep my folder structure?
Your TAR archive is unpacked and its files are packed again into a new bzip2 archive; file names and folders are kept, and the TAR file itself is not stored inside.
Why does my bzip2 contain a TAR archive?
A bzip2 file holds a single file, so when your TAR archive contains several files they are first bundled into one TAR archive inside the bzip2.