How to Open a TAR File on Android
A .tar file bundles many files into one without compressing them. Drop it below to see what's inside and save any file – right on your Android phone, without installing anything.
Drop a .zip, .tar.gz, .tgz, .tar or .gz file here
Nothing is uploaded · RAR and 7z aren't supported
Opened on your device. Your archive never leaves your browser.
Step by step: Open a TAR File on Android
- 1
Open this page in Chrome (or any browser) on your Android phone or tablet.
- 2
Tap the box above. Android opens its file picker – use Images, Recent or Browse to find files from Gallery, Downloads or Google Drive.
- 3
Every file inside is listed, with the total size.
- 4
Download all the files (or, in Chrome and Edge on a computer, save them straight into a folder). Tap Download. The file lands in your Download folder – open it from Files by Google or Chrome's Downloads list.
What you can do with the contents
- See what's inside before saving anything, then save every file in one go.
- Folders inside the archive are kept, so files stay organised.
About TAR files
- A .tar file bundles many files into one without compressing them. It's common on Linux and macOS but awkward to open on phones and older Windows PCs.
Tips for Android phone
- No app from the Play Store needed, so there are no extra permissions, ads inside an app or storage used.
Frequently asked questions
Is a .tar file safe to open?
Extracting an archive is safe in itself – nothing inside runs. Be careful with programs (.exe, .sh, .app) you then choose to open, as with any download.
Is there a size limit?
No fixed limit. Archives of hundreds of megabytes work on most computers; phones may struggle with very large ones because everything happens in memory.
Are my files uploaded to a server?
No. The conversion runs in your browser using your device's own processor, so your files never leave your device. You can even disconnect from the internet once the page has loaded.
Where does the converted file go on my Android phone?
Tap Download. The file lands in your Download folder – open it from Files by Google or Chrome's Downloads list.
Need more options? Open the full Extract TAR.GZ tool →