Works for .tar.xz and for a lone .xz
A .tar.xz holds a tar archive inside xz, so you get that tar back as a repacked .tar. A single .xz that is not a tar, such as a compressed log, is also accepted and comes back as a tar holding that one file.
XZ to TAR Converter
Add a .tar.xz or .xz file and get an uncompressed .tar back. Files inside keep their contents; symlinks are dropped.
To convert xz to tar, add the .tar.xz or .xz file, keep TAR as the output format and download the result. In our test, a 16,620-byte tar.xz became a 737,280-byte tar, 44.4 times larger, because the xz compression layer was removed and the files inside were repacked.
Transfers use HTTPS, and files converted on the free tier are deleted after 24 hours, so the result is not a long-term archive. Quality depends on the source file, so open the TAR file once before you share it.
FromXZLossless
XZ (xz compressed data)
xz compresses one data stream, normally with LZMA2, and adds an index and an integrity check such as CRC32, CRC64 or SHA-256. Like gzip it stores no file names or folders, so bundles are packed with tar first and shipped as .tar.xz. The format was designed by Lasse Collin and Igor Pavlov.
ToTARLossless
TAR (tape archive)
tar began as a way to write files to backup tape. It joins any number of files and folders into one byte stream, giving each item a 512-byte header record and ending the archive with two empty blocks. A plain .tar is normally not compressed; compression such as gzip or xz is added around it, which gives .tar.gz and .tar.xz.
A tar.xz test archive with 5 files, one empty folder and one symlink, converted on indox.org
- tar.xzthe original, 1 xz stream, CRC64 check
- 16,620 bytes
- tarfrom indox, 44.4 times larger, 10 entries, symlink dropped
- 737,280 bytes
Why use indox to convert XZ to TAR?
Nothing to install
The conversion runs on indox servers, so Windows, Mac, Linux, Android and iPhone all work from a browser. You need no xz or tar program.
The changes are listed before you convert
The output is a new tar, so its bytes differ from the original. The differences are a leading ./ on names, member order, owner and dropped symlinks, and we checked each one in a real run.
What happens to your archive
Stays
- Your original .xz, which is not touched
- The contents of every regular file, checked by sha256 in our test
- File modification times, 2026-10-01 12:00 in our test
- Empty folders
Changes
- Compression: removed, so 16,620 bytes became 737,280 bytes
- Archive bytes: a new tar, not the original, with a different sha256
- Names: a leading ./ and extra entries for ./ and ./pack/
- Symlinks: dropped
- Owner: root/root became indox/indox
How do I convert XZ to TAR online?
- 1
Add your .tar.xz or .xz file
Drop the file on the box or choose it from your device. Keep the original, because the converter returns a new file and leaves yours alone.
- 2
Confirm TAR, then start the conversion
Check that TAR is the output format and start. We saw no other options on the page. In our test it took 3.8 seconds from the click to Completed.
- 3
Download the .tar and list it
Save the file and run tar -tvf on it or open it in an archive tool. Check that the files you need are present, since symlinks are not.
What do I get from indox's XZ to TAR converter?
You hand over a .tar.xz or .xz and take away a plain .tar, for tools that cannot read xz. Before you convert, the page lists what the repack changes, so you can decide whether it fits the job.
- One .tar for the xz archive you add, in a few clicks
- Nothing installed on any desktop or phone
- The repack differences stated up front, with measured numbers
- Your original .xz is left as it was
What are the limits for XZ to TAR?
Size
The upload box shows the live size limit before you add a file. Signing in raises it; a paid plan does not change it.
Formats
XZ in, TAR out. Pick another output on the converter if you need a different format.
Privacy
Files are encrypted in transit over HTTPS and processed on indox infrastructure.
Deletion
Free-tier files are kept for 24 hours after the job finishes, then deleted automatically.
Limits worth knowing
- The result is a rebuilt archive. Its bytes differ from the original tar, so a checksum of the original will not match.
- Symbolic links are removed. If your archive depends on links, such as a library layout, extract it locally with tar -xJf instead.
- Ownership is replaced. Files came back owned by indox/indox in our test, so do not use this to preserve root-owned permissions for a system image.
- There are no options. We saw no compression level, name or filter setting, and the xz to tar pair is a single choice.
- A lone .xz keeps an upload prefix. In our test the single file inside the tar was named with a 32-character hex prefix before log.txt, and its time was the conversion time. Rename it after extracting.
When the result is not what you expected
| What you see | Why | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| The file is much larger | The xz compression was removed | Expected for compressible data; keep the .tar.xz for storage and use the tar for tools that need it |
| A symlink is missing | The repack drops symbolic links | Extract locally with tar -xJf if you need links |
| Files show owner indox | Owner is not carried over | Set ownership again after extracting with chown |
| A name starts with a long hex string | You added a lone .xz, which gets an upload prefix | Rename the file after extracting |
| Checksum of the tar differs | The tar is rebuilt, not copied | Compare file contents, not the whole archive |
| Conversion fails on a damaged file | The xz data may be corrupt | Test it with xz -t file.xz, then try a fresh download |
What do the free and paid plans add?
Free
- All converters
- Daily credit refresh
- Email support
Basic
- Access to all features
- AI Extract
- Priority conversions
- Email support
Highest priority
Premium
- Everything in Basic
- Highest priority queue
- Priority support
Pay-As-You-Go
- No subscription
- Credits never expire
- Opt-in auto-refill
- Access to all features
Which conversions are close to XZ to TAR?
Who can use a XZ to TAR converter?
When to use it
- Opening a downloaded source release on a system that has no xz support.
- Handing a tar to a script that reads only uncompressed tar.
- Checking what a .tar.xz holds by getting a tar you can list with tar -tvf.
- Wrapping a single compressed .xz log into a tar for transfer.
Where can I read more about converting files?
Sources
- The .xz File FormatTukaani Project
- tar(5): format of tape archive filesArch Linux manual pages
- TAR (x-fmt/265)The National Archives, PRONOM
Facts checked on November 4, 2026
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XZ to TAR FAQs
How do I convert xz to tar?
Open the converter, add your .tar.xz or .xz file, keep TAR as the output and download the result. Nothing needs to be installed.
Can I just rename .tar.xz to .tar?
No. The contents are still xz-compressed, so a tar program will reject the renamed file. The xz layer has to be removed, which is what the conversion does.
Is the .tar identical to the tar before compression?
No. indox extracts the archive and packs a new tar. In our test every file matched by sha256, but the tar as a whole did not, because names, order and owner differ.
Why is the .tar so much bigger than the .tar.xz?
The compression is removed. Our 16,620-byte tar.xz gave a 737,280-byte tar. Archives of text or repeated data grow most.
Are permissions, ownership and symlinks kept?
Modification times and file contents were kept in our test. The owner became indox/indox and symlinks were dropped. We did not test every mode bit, so check the listing.
What if my .xz is not a tar?
The converter accepts it and returns a tar holding the one file. In our test a 478,020-byte log.txt.xz became a 1,771,520-byte tar. The inner name had a long hex prefix.
Why does tar say this does not look like a tar archive?
The file is probably a single xz stream, not a tar inside xz. You can check with xz -dc file.xz | file - on a Linux computer.
What is the command line way?
Run xz -dk file.tar.xz to get file.tar and keep the original. Without -k, xz deletes the source. Do not use tar xzf for xz, because z means gzip; use tar xJf.
Will the .tar open on Windows?
Many archive programs on Windows read plain .tar. The file made here is a standard tar, so it should open in those, but we did not test a specific Windows tool.