How to convert TAR to xz
- 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 xz
NexMedia converts TAR to xz 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 xz online free, no account required — xz is a single-file compressor using LZMA2.
Change TAR to xz without losing quality — convert TAR to xz 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 xz
xz compresses a single file with the LZMA2 method and usually gives the smallest result of the common single-file compressors.
Linux packages, kernel images and large data files.
It holds one file only and needs a lot of memory at high compression levels.
Why convert a file to XZ? When the smallest possible file matters most: LZMA2 beats gzip and bzip2 on almost any data.
What changes when you convert TAR to xz
- No data is lost: every file in your TAR archive is packed into the xz archive byte for byte, with its name and folder.
- Your TAR archive is unpacked and its files are packed again into a new xz archive; file names and folders are kept, and the TAR file itself is not stored inside.
- A xz file holds a single file, so when your TAR archive contains several files they are first bundled into one TAR archive inside the xz.
Settings you can change
Before you convert TAR to xz, 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 xz file is kept for 2 hours, then deleted.
TAR to xz: questions and answers
Does converting TAR to xz reduce quality?
No data is lost: every file in your TAR archive is packed into the xz archive byte for byte, with its name and folder.
What is the difference between TAR and xz?
TAR is an uncompressed Unix archive. xz is a single-file compressor using LZMA2.
Can I change the settings when converting TAR to xz?
Before you convert TAR to xz, you can adjust: Compression level, Split size, Password, and Root folder.
Do I need an account to convert TAR to xz?
No. You can convert TAR to xz without an account; signing in raises the file-size and daily limits.
How long is my converted xz file kept?
The xz file you convert from TAR is kept for 2 hours, then deleted automatically.
Does converting TAR to xz keep my folder structure?
Your TAR archive is unpacked and its files are packed again into a new xz archive; file names and folders are kept, and the TAR file itself is not stored inside.
Why does my xz contain a TAR archive?
A xz file holds a single file, so when your TAR archive contains several files they are first bundled into one TAR archive inside the xz.