.GZ File Extension

GNU Zipped Archive File

A GZ file is a compressed archive created using the GNU zip (gzip) algorithm. It usually contains one compressed file but can also hold multiple compressed items. This format is commonly used on Unix-based systems like Linux to reduce file size for easier storage and faster sharing.

The gzip format was first introduced on October 31, 1992, by Jean-loup Gailly and Mark Adler. It remains widely used today, especially in Linux distributions, for compressing files.

GZ files are often used to compress large files to save space and make transfers faster. In many cases, they contain .TAR archives, which are collections of multiple files. When compressed with gzip, these are called "tarballs" and usually have a .tar.gz or .tgz extension. This format is popular for packaging software, backups, and other large datasets.

Also GZ files are widely used in web server environments to compress assets like HTML, CSS, and JavaScript, reducing bandwidth usage and improving page load times.

How to Open .GZ as GNU Zipped Archive File

To open a GZ file, you need a compression tool that supports the gzip format. Some common programs include:

• Windows: 7-Zip, WinRAR, WinZip
• macOS: Archive Utility
• Linux: gzip, tar

On Unix-based systems, you can extract a GZ file using the following command in the terminal:

gunzip filename.gz

If the GZ file contains a TAR archive, you can extract everything with:

tar -xvzf filename.tar.gz

Mobile devices also support GZ files through compatible apps, allowing users to decompress and access the contents.

Applications That Open GZ Files

Windows Apps for GZ Files:

• 7-Zip Free
• PeaZip Free
• RARLAB WinRAR Free Trial

macOS Apps for GZ Files:

• 7-Zip Free
• PeaZip Free
• RARLAB WinRAR Free Trial

• Apple Archive Utility

  Included with OS

Linux Apps for GZ Files:

• 7-Zip Free
• gzip Free
• PeaZip Free
• RARLAB WinRAR Free Trial
• Ark Free

Android Apps for GZ Files:

• RARLAB WinRAR Free Trial