Convert Bzip2 TAR to TAR Online Free
Convert Bzip2-compressed TAR archives to plain uncompressed TAR by removing the bzip2 layer. Powered by 7-Zip for reliable server-side decompression.
ChangeThisFile converts your TAR.BZ2 archive to a plain uncompressed TAR file using 7-Zip on our secure servers. TAR.BZ2 combines the TAR container with bzip2 compression; converting to TAR strips only the compression layer, leaving all files, permissions, and directory structure intact. Useful for recompression, file appending, or tool compatibility. Encrypted in transit, auto-deleted, free with no signup.
Convert Bzip2 TAR to TAR
Drop your Bzip2 TAR file here to convert it instantly
Drag & drop your .tar.bz2 file here, or click to browse
Convert to TAR instantly
Bzip2 TAR vs TAR: Format Comparison
Key differences between the two formats
| Feature | TAR.BZ2 | TAR |
|---|---|---|
| Compression | bzip2 (Burrows-Wheeler transform) | No compression |
| Compression ratio | Better than gzip, slower | No compression |
| Decompression speed | Slower than gzip and xz | Instant (no decompression needed) |
| File append | Cannot append without full recompression | Append with `tar rf archive.tar file` |
| Tool support | Native Unix: `tar xjf` | Native Unix: `tar xf` |
| Common use | Linux source tarballs, older distributions | Active archive manipulation, local pipelines |
| Extensions | .tar.bz2 or .tbz2 | .tar |
When to Convert
Common scenarios where this conversion is useful
Recompress with gzip or xz for faster decompression
Bzip2 decompresses significantly slower than gzip or xz. Converting TAR.BZ2 to plain TAR lets you then recompress with `gzip archive.tar` or `xz archive.tar` for a faster-decompressing archive with similar or better compression ratios.
Append files to a bzip2-compressed TAR
You cannot add files to a TAR.BZ2 without full decompression. Converting to a plain TAR first lets you use `tar rf archive.tar newfile` to append content, then recompress if needed.
Process older Linux source tarballs
Many older Linux project releases were distributed as .tar.bz2 files. Converting to plain TAR enables processing with tools that expect an uncompressed TAR, or prepares the archive for repackaging in a modern format.
Reduce decompression overhead in automation
In scripts that repeatedly access archive contents, working with a plain TAR avoids repeated bzip2 decompression overhead. Convert once to TAR, then access files directly with standard `tar` commands.
How to Convert Bzip2 TAR to TAR
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1
Upload your TAR.BZ2 file
Drag and drop your .tar.bz2 (or .tbz2) file onto the converter, or click to browse. Files up to 50 MB are supported for free.
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2
Server-side decompression
Your file is securely uploaded to our servers where 7-Zip decompresses the bzip2 layer and extracts the TAR contents, then repacks them as a plain uncompressed TAR archive.
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3
Download the result
Once conversion is complete, click Download to save your .tar file. Your uploaded file is automatically deleted from our servers.
Frequently Asked Questions
TAR.BZ2 is compressed with bzip2, which is slower to decompress than gzip or xz and cannot have files appended. Converting to plain TAR removes this limitation and enables appending, faster access, and recompression with a different algorithm.
Yes, completely free. Convert TAR.BZ2 to TAR with no cost, no signup, and no watermarks.
Yes. The TAR container stores full POSIX permissions, ownership, timestamps, and symlinks. Removing the bzip2 compression layer does not alter any of this metadata.
Yes. The plain TAR is the uncompressed size of the archive contents, which is larger than the bzip2-compressed TAR.BZ2 input.
Yes: `bunzip2 -k file.tar.bz2` decompresses to `file.tar` on Linux without extraction. ChangeThisFile is useful when you need this done on a device without a Linux terminal or the bunzip2 command.
Yes. .tbz2 is an alternative shorthand extension for bzip2-compressed TAR archives, identical to .tar.bz2. The converter accepts both.
ChangeThisFile offers TAR.BZ2 to TAR.GZ conversion for switching from bzip2 to gzip compression in one step.
Yes. Files are transferred over encrypted HTTPS connections. Your data is protected in transit.
Yes. Files are automatically and permanently deleted from our servers immediately after conversion completes.
Files up to 50 MB are supported. The compressed TAR.BZ2 file must be under 50 MB.
The conversion uses 7-Zip (p7zip) on our secure servers.
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