TAR File Opener

WinZip's TAR-BZ2 Opener Functionality

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What is a Tar BZ2 file extension?

A tar.bz2 file is a compressed archive file type which wraps multiple files into one for easy access, transfer and storage. It contains a source code and is usually used for moving software such as video games from one device to another. It’s essentially a TAR archive file which is highly optimized for compression with a BZ2 compression algorithm and Run-Length Encoding (RLE).

If you’re using Linux operating software, tar.bz2 files work natively and are used by default for saving all source code software program files. If, however, you are using Windows or Mac devices then you will need WinZip to compress, extract and archive tar.bz2 files. Download WinZip today and use it for seven days for free.

What are Tar BZ2 files used for?

Tar.bz2 files are used often in the Linux community for sharing and delivering software packages and source codes. You’ll find them often used with Unix-based operating systems too, particularly in communities which share software packages frequently.

Because Tar BZ2 is a lossless compression format, it is a powerful tool for significantly compressing the size of a multitude of files. When users extract the files they can then gain access to the original, unchanged files without experiencing a loss of data.

This makes it an excellent file type of sharing large amounts of individual files such as images and videos as well as software programs.

How to Open Tar BZ2 Files

Opening TAR BZ2 files in WinZip can be done in moments with the click of just a few buttons. Follow this step by step guide.

Method 1

Open TAR Files - Step 1
1. Find the TAR BZ2 file you would like to open on your computer and double-click on the file. This will open up WinZip and display the file.
Open TAR Files - Step 2
2. On the panel on the right side of the screen, click "Unzip to:" and choose the location you would like to save your file to, for instance the desktop or an external hard drive.
Open TAR Files - Step 3
3. Click "Unzip” to begin the process. Within a few moments the files within the TAR BZ2 file will be available to view and use in the location you specified.

Method 2

TAR File Extractor - Step 1
1. Right-click on the TAR BZ2 file you want to open and hover over "WinZip" to display the secondary menu.
TAR File Extractor - Step 2
2. Click on "Unzip to..." and choose the location you want to save the file to.
TAR File Extractor - Step 3
3. Click on "Unzip" which will open up the contents of the TAR BZ2 file.

Tar BZ2 and Linux

As tar.bz2 files are most often used with Linux systems, that is where it is most comfortably integrated into the platform. To open tar.bz2 files on Linux, use the Linux Command Line which lets you execute a range of commands including opening and creating Tar files.

To do this, on your Linux system press Ctrl+Al+T to access the Linux Command Line. Within this you can then highlight basic capabilities such as opening, creating and splitting tar.bz2 files. You can choose where to extract TAR files to and view the files within the archived folder.

How to Create Tar BZ2 Files

While WinZip does not create Tar BZ2 files, it does create Zip files. Zip files are similar to Tar BZ2 files and have many of the same benefits and more accessibility.

In order to create a Zip file, please follow these simple steps:

  1. Open WinZip
  2. Find and select the files you wish to ZIP from your PC, network, or cloud services in the files panel.
  3. Click “Add to Zip”.
  4. In the actions panel, click “Save as”.
  5. Choose any local, network or cloud location where you wish to save your new ZIP file.
  6. You may also choose to email it, share it in an instant message or via supported social media platforms.

Converting Tar BZ2 Files

While Tar BZ2 files are excellent for lossless compression and sharing large software programs, their focus on Linux may not make them suitable for other platforms such as Mac. In this case it’s best to convert Tar BZ2 files to other archive formats such as Zip or RAR, and you can do this by using third party conversion software such as WinZip.

WinZip is the go-to destination for any file conversions and archive extractions, as it can handle pretty much any file type for many platforms. Simply open up WinZip, select the Tar BZ2 file you wish to convert and follow the steps to convert it into a new ZIP file.

  1. Unzip your TAR BZ2 file using WinZip and save them to your computer
  2. Now select the files you wish to ZIP from your PC, network, or cloud services in the files panel in WinZip.
  3. Click “Add to Zip”.
  4. In the actions panel, click “Save as”.
  5. Choose any local, network or cloud location where you wish to save your new ZIP file.
  6. You may also choose to email it, share it in an instant message or via supported social media platforms.

Frequently Asked Questions

Are Tar BZ2 files safe?

Tar BZ2 files themselves are inherently safe, but as with every file you access on your system, make sure you have acquired it from a legitimate and know what the contents are. Never open a strange folder if you do not know where you get it from or what its contents might be.

What’s the difference between Tar vs Tar.GZ vs Tar.BZ2?

Tar files are archived folders which simply group multiple files together. Tar.Gz on the other hand is a compressed format which reduces the overall size of a group of files. Tar.BZ2 is a lossless data compression format that lets users retrieve the original data of compressed files.

Why does Linux use Tar BZ2?

Linux favors the use of Tar BZ2 because of its excellent lossless compression capabilities. It allows users to package up large files such as software programs and share them with a very manageable file size.

Open TAR-BZ2 files on Windows or Mac

WinZip 28
  • Windows 11
  • Windows 10
  • Internet Explorer 8 or later
WinZip Mac 10
  • Mac OS X 10.8, 10.9, or 10.10
  • Intel 64-bit processor
  • Supports Apple Retina Displays

WinZip opens and extracts TAR-BZ2 Compressed Archive Files—and many more formats

We designed WinZip to open and extract from the widest range of file formats, including all of the following:

Get WinZip now to open your TAR-BZ2 file(s), then enjoy all that the world's most popular compression utility has to offer, including the easiest and most practical file compression, encryption, packaging, file management and data backup capabilities.

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