Convert TAR.BZ2 to TAR.GZ Online Free

Convert Bzip2 TAR archives to the more compatible Gzipped TAR format. Upload your TAR.BZ2 file to ChangeThisFile — it's re-compressed as TAR.GZ on our servers and deleted immediately after.

Quick Answer

To convert TAR.BZ2 to TAR.GZ, upload your TAR.BZ2 file to ChangeThisFile. Our server uses 7-Zip to extract the bzip2-compressed archive and repack it with gzip compression as TAR.GZ. Files are encrypted during upload and deleted automatically after conversion.

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Convert Bzip2 TAR to Gzipped TAR

Drop your Bzip2 TAR file here to convert it instantly

Drag & drop your .tar.bz2 file here, or click to browse

Convert to Gzipped TAR instantly

Bzip2 TAR vs Gzipped TAR: Format Comparison

Key differences between the two formats

FeatureTAR.BZ2TAR.GZ
Compression algorithmbzip2 (BWT)gzip (DEFLATE)
Compression ratioBetter than gzipGood, slightly lower than bzip2
Compression speedSlowFast
Decompression speedModerateFast
Tool supportRequires bzip2Universally supported
Streaming supportLimitedBetter streaming support
Best forSpace-constrained archivalSpeed, compatibility, streaming

When to Convert

Common scenarios where this conversion is useful

Improving tool compatibility

TAR.GZ is universally supported on all Unix/Linux systems without extra tools. Convert TAR.BZ2 files for use in environments where bzip2 may not be installed.

Faster extraction in CI pipelines

TAR.GZ decompresses faster than TAR.BZ2. Converting archives used in continuous integration pipelines reduces build time.

Streaming archive support

Gzip supports better streaming than bzip2. Convert TAR.BZ2 archives to TAR.GZ when your pipeline or tool needs to stream archive contents.

Legacy system compatibility

Older Unix systems and minimal Linux environments may lack bzip2 support but always have gzip. Convert TAR.BZ2 for deployment to these systems.

How to Convert Bzip2 TAR to Gzipped TAR

  1. 1

    Upload your TAR.BZ2 archive

    Drag and drop your TAR.BZ2 file onto the ChangeThisFile converter, or click to browse. Your file is uploaded securely over HTTPS.

  2. 2

    Server recompresses with gzip

    Our server extracts the TAR.BZ2 archive and repacks the contents with gzip compression into a standard TAR.GZ file.

  3. 3

    Download your TAR.GZ

    Download the resulting TAR.GZ archive. Both your original TAR.BZ2 and the output are deleted from our servers automatically.

Frequently Asked Questions

TAR.GZ offers faster compression and decompression speeds and is more universally supported than TAR.BZ2. It's the preferred format for most CI/CD systems and streaming scenarios.

No. All files and directory structure from the TAR.BZ2 are preserved exactly in the TAR.GZ output. Only the compression algorithm changes.

Yes. Files are transferred over HTTPS encryption and automatically deleted from ChangeThisFile servers immediately after conversion.

Slightly, in most cases. Bzip2 typically achieves better compression than gzip, so the TAR.GZ output may be 5-15% larger than the TAR.BZ2 input depending on content.

The ChangeThisFile API accepts files up to 50MB. For larger TAR.BZ2 archives, use local command-line tools.

Yes. Files with .tbz2 or .tbz extensions are equivalent to .tar.bz2 and are supported by the converter.

Use the command: tar -xzf filename.tar.gz to extract the TAR.GZ archive on Linux or macOS.

Yes. ChangeThisFile provides TAR.BZ2 to TAR.GZ conversion for free, with no account, no watermarks, and no usage limits beyond the 50MB file cap.

Yes, as long as the archive itself is within the 50MB upload limit. The internal file sizes and count do not affect conversion compatibility.

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