How to Extract .TGZ on Windows

The ".tgz" file extension represents a set of files archived with the Tar archive utility and compressed using the Gzip compression utility. The Tar and Gzip utilities are native to the Linux and Unix operating systems; there is no native Windows utility that will extract ".tgz" file. The Gzip developers recommend using the 7-Zip, Winzip or PowerArchiver programs to extract .tgz files on a Windows computer. 7-Zip is completely free, while WinZip offers a free trial and PowerArchiver must be purchased.

Instructions

7-Zip

1. Download and install 7-Zip from the developer's website. Navigate to the ".tgz" file using the Windows Explorer file browser.

2. Right-click on the ".tgz" file. Highlight the "7-Zip" option.

3. Click the "Extract Here" option. The file extracts to the current directory.

WinZip

1. Download and install the WinZip software program. Open Windows Explorer and navigate to the ".tgz" file.

2. Right-click on the ".tgz" file. Highlight the "WinZip" option.

3. Click "Extract to Here." WinZip extracts the file to the current directory.

PowerArchiver

1. Download and install the PowerArchiver program. Launch PowerArchiver.

2. Click the "Open" button in the toolbar at the top of the screen.

3. Click the ".tgz" file in the file browser that appears. Click "Open" to extract the file.

References

• Binaries4All.com: Extracting Files with 7-Zip
• WinZip Knowledge Base: A Quick Example of How to Unzip with WinZip
• Library and Information Services at Kenyon College: Using PowerArchiver (Zip Program)
• The Gzip Home Page: Is There a Windows Interface for Gzip?

Resources

• 7-Zip
• WinZip
• PowerArchiver