Archive formats compared
- ✅ Supported everywhere
- ✅ Random access to files
- ✅ Windows innebygd
- ⚠️ Medium compression
- ✅ Linux/macOS standard
- ✅ Good compression
- ✅ Bevarer filrettigheter
- ⚠️ No random access
- ✅ Bedre enn GZ
- ✅ God for tekst
- ⚠️ Langsommere enn GZ
- ⚠️ No random access
- ✅ Best compression
- ✅ Used in Linux packages
- ⚠️ Slow compression
- ⚠️ No random access
- ✅ Very good compression
- ✅ Supports encryption
- ⚠️ Krever p7zip
- ⚠️ Ikke innebygd i OS
How to use the archive converter
Upload archive
Choose a ZIP, TAR, 7Z, or RAR file from your device.
Choose action
Convert to a new format, or choose "View contents" to inspect.
Download
The converted archive is ready for download in seconds.
Frequently asked questions
What's the difference between ZIP and TAR.GZ?
ZIP compresses each file individually — perfect for Windows and random access to individual files. TAR.GZ first packs all files into one TAR archive, then compresses the whole package, giving better compression for many small files. TAR also preserves Unix file permissions.
Which format gives the smallest file size?
In general: TAR.XZ > TAR.BZ2 > 7Z > TAR.GZ > ZIP. For text files, XZ and BZ2 are clearly best. For already compressed files (images, videos) the difference is small.
Can I view the contents without extracting?
Yes! Use the "View contents" tab to see a complete file list with sizes without downloading the whole archive.
Are password-protected archives supported?
Password-protected archives can't be converted — remove the password locally first.
What about 7Z and RAR?
7Z is supported if p7zip-full is installed on the server. RAR requires unrar. The status is shown in the green/yellow list at the top of the page.
What is an archive converter?
An archive converter lets you change compression format between ZIP, TAR.GZ, TAR.BZ2, TAR.XZ, and 7Z. You can also inspect an archive's contents without downloading it. Konvertio uses Python's built-in libraries for maximum reliability and speed.
When do you need an archive converter?
- ZIP to TAR.GZ — when sharing files with Linux servers
- TAR.GZ to ZIP — for bedre Windows-kompatibilitet
- View archive contents — browse files in an archive without downloading
- Recompress — switch from fast to high compression to save space
Related services
Need to convert other file types? See also: Document Converter (PDF, Word) · Image Converter · API and pricing