To convert BZ2 to TAR, select or drop your .bz2 file above, check that TAR is chosen as the output, and click Convert. Files up to 200 MB are converted right in your browser, so they never leave your device.
What is a BZ2 file?
BZ2 – bzip2 compressed file. BZ2 is a single file compressed with bzip2: slower than gzip, but usually smaller.
BZ2 Converter →What is a TAR file?
TAR – Tape archive. TAR bundles files and folders into one archive without compressing them, keeping Unix permissions and timestamps. It is usually paired with a compressor such as gzip or xz.
TAR Converter →How to convert BZ2 to TAR
- Click Select File, or drop your .bz2 files anywhere on this page. You can add several at once.
- Check that TAR is chosen as the output format. On this page it is picked for you.
- Click Convert. When a file has to go to our server, the button says Upload and convert instead.
- Click Download next to each file when it's done.
BZ2 vs TAR: how they compare
| BZ2 | TAR | |
|---|---|---|
| Type | Compressed single file | Archive |
| Holds | One file | Many files and folders |
| Compression | Burrows–Wheeler (bzip2) | None |
| Encryption | None | None |
| Created by | Julian Seward, 1996 | Unix, 1979 |
| Best for | Smaller single files than gzip | Bundling folders on Linux and macOS |
Good to know
- a BZ2 file holds a single compressed file, so the result is a TAR archive with that one file in it.
- TAR doesn't compress, so the TAR is usually bigger than the BZ2 it came from. Pick TAR.GZ or TAR.XZ for a smaller file.
- Symbolic links, hard links and special files (such as devices) are left out of the result for safety; the page tells you when it does this.
Frequently asked questions
Is converting BZ2 to TAR free?
Yes. Everyone gets 25 free credits a day, with no account needed. Conversions on our server use one credit per started minute of work, so most cost a single credit. Credits reset at midnight UTC.
Are my BZ2 files uploaded anywhere?
Files up to 200 MB never leave your device: ConvertKitty runs 7-Zip inside your browser. Only larger files, or formats your browser cannot handle, are sent to our server, over an encrypted connection, and deleted 72 hours after the conversion. The button says "Upload and convert" whenever that happens.
How large can the BZ2 file be?
Files up to 200 MB are converted right in your browser. Larger files, up to 1 GB, are converted on our server.
Will the folders inside my BZ2 be kept?
a BZ2 file holds just one file, so there are no folders to keep: the TAR will contain that one file.
Can I convert several BZ2 files at once?
Yes. Add as many files as you like; they are converted one after another, and each one gets its own Download button.
Convert BZ2 to other formats
- BZ2 Converter
- BZ2 to ZIP Converter
- BZ2 to 7Z Converter
- BZ2 to TAR.GZ Converter
- BZ2 to TAR.BZ2 Converter
- BZ2 to TAR.XZ Converter
- BZ2 to RAR Converter
Convert other files to TAR
- Convert to TAR
- ZIP to TAR Converter
- RAR to TAR Converter
- 7Z to TAR Converter
- TAR.GZ to TAR Converter
- ISO to TAR Converter
- GZ to TAR Converter
- TGZ to TAR Converter
- TAR.XZ to TAR Converter
- CAB to TAR Converter
- JAR to TAR Converter
Just need the files inside?
Updated