Archive Format Converter
Convert an archive between .zip and .tar.gz while preserving the folder structure.
What is Format Converter?
A converter between the two most common archive containers: ZIP and the gzipped tarball. The file's signature is detected for you, and the entries are listed before anything is converted.
How it works
For ZIP → tar the central directory is read, each entry is inflated and verified, and the result is written into ustar headers (with parent folders) before gzip. For tar → ZIP the headers are parsed and each file is deflated into a fresh ZIP container.
- Add your files. Drop files (or a whole folder) onto the drop zone. Browsers hand the contents straight to the page, so nothing is uploaded.
- Choose the options. Pick the format, compression, naming rule or split size. Any change re-computes the preview immediately.
- Download the result. Run the tool and grab the archive, the extracted files or the report. Multi-file results come back as a single .zip.
Examples
A 240 MB photo folder → a 52 MB .zip
JPEGs are already compressed, so the archive only saves 10–15% — but adding the folder structure and a manifest makes the upload verifiable.
A download cut off at 1.4 GB
The File Splitter cuts it into 500 MB chunks that fit the host's limit, and the File Joiner reassembles them, refusing any set with a missing part.
A release bundle with checksums
The Manifest Generator writes sha256sum-style lines next to the files, so the recipient can prove the download arrived intact.
Common mistakes
Expecting ZIP to shrink photos, video or audio
Those formats are already compressed; deflate typically saves single digits on them. ZIP is at its best on text, JSON, CSV, logs and source code.
Treating ZipCrypto as real encryption
Traditional ZIP encryption is legacy and breakable. It stops casual snooping only — for secrets, encrypt the contents with AES-256 first.
Renaming extensions to convert a file
Changing .png to .jpg does not change the bytes inside. Some programs will refuse the file, or display garbage. Use a real converter when the format must change.
Splitting without keeping the suffixes
The parts carry .001, .002 … suffixes on purpose: the joiner orders them by number and fails loudly when one is missing, instead of producing a corrupt file.
Frequently asked questions
Which direction should I choose?
Going to .zip makes a bundle friendly for Windows and macOS users who expect to double-click it. Going to .tar.gz keeps Unix file modes and matches packaging conventions for npm, Docker and source releases.
Are file permissions preserved?
TAR stores a mode per entry; the converter writes the same mode when it creates tar entries for files that came from a ZIP (which records only a coarse attribute). Plain files end up 0644 and folders 0755, which is what a distributed bundle normally wants.
Why does the conversion take time?
Every entry must be decompressed and recompressed into the other container — unlike renaming an extension, this rewrites the actual data.