CAB to TAR Converter
Processing entirely on your device — large files may take a moment.
TAR preserves the exact file tree and permissions that Linux tooling expects. If your files are still in CAB format, this page is the shortcut: CAB is Microsoft's installer cabinet format — drivers, Windows updates and legacy installers arrive as CAB files.
This converter runs entirely in your browser using WebAssembly — your files never leave your device, nothing is uploaded, and there are no watermarks, sign-ups or queues. Drop in several files at once to convert them as a batch.
How CAB compares to TAR
| CAB | TAR | |
|---|---|---|
| Compression | MSZIP / LZX | None (pair with gzip/zstd) |
| Encryption | None | None |
| Bundling | Multi-file with folders | Unix-faithful bundling |
| Best for | Drivers and Windows updates | Linux packaging and source trees |
How to convert CAB to TAR
- 1
Select your files
Drag & drop your CAB files onto the area above, or click to browse. You can add multiple files at once for batch conversion.
- 2
Convert instantly
Click "Convert to TAR". The conversion runs entirely inside your browser using WebAssembly — no upload, no queue, no waiting.
- 3
Download results
Download each converted TAR file individually, or grab everything at once as a ZIP archive.
About the CAB format
CAB (Cabinet) is Microsoft's own archive format, built for software distribution: Windows update packages, device drivers and legacy installers arrive as CAB files. It supports MSZIP, Quantum and LZX compression, and Windows Explorer actually opens it — on Windows.
Everywhere else it is a locked box. Converting CAB to ZIP makes driver payloads and update contents readable on macOS, Linux and phones — useful when you need a driver file on a machine that cannot run the installer.
+ Strengths
- ✓Native to Windows software distribution
- ✓Efficient LZX compression for its era
! Limitations
- −Windows-centric — opaque elsewhere
- −No encryption or recovery features
About the TAR format
TAR (tape archive) is Unix's fifty-year-old answer to bundling: it concatenates files with headers into a single stream, preserving POSIX permissions, ownership and symlinks — but compressing nothing. It is the container half of the classic .tar.gz pairing and the native format of Linux source trees and backups.
Being pure bundling, TAR pairs with a compressor: gzip (the classic), bzip2, zstd. Alone, a TAR is the same size as its contents. Windows 10+ ships bsdtar, so even Windows can unpack it now — permissions aside, where NTFS has no room to be faithful.
+ Strengths
- ✓Preserves Unix permissions and symlinks
- ✓Streamable: works over pipes and tapes
- ✓The standard of Linux distribution and backup
! Limitations
- −No compression by itself
- −No built-in encryption
- −Permissions meaningless on Windows filesystems
Why convert CAB to TAR?
Think of it as moving your file to the container that fits the job. Windows-centric — opaque elsewhere TAR works differently: Preserves Unix permissions and symlinks If any of that sounds like your task, run the conversion — it takes seconds and nothing leaves your device.
Frequently asked questions
Is this CAB to TAR converter really free?
Yes — completely free, with no sign-up, no watermark and no daily conversion limits. The site is supported by advertising.
Are my files uploaded to a server?
No. The conversion runs entirely inside your browser using WebAssembly, so your files never leave your device — that is what makes it instant and private.
Does it work on Windows, Mac, iPhone and Android?
Yes. Anything with a modern browser works: Windows, macOS, Linux, Android and iOS. No software installation is required.
Is there a file size limit for CAB to TAR?
The only limit is your device's memory, since nothing is uploaded. Files up to a few hundred megabytes work fine on a modern desktop browser; very large files simply take a little longer.
Are the files inside my CAB archive modified?
No. Contents are unpacked in memory and repacked into TAR byte-for-byte — the conversion changes the container, never the files inside it.
Is there a size limit for archive conversion?
There is no upload cap because nothing is uploaded — the practical limit is your device memory. A few hundred megabytes of unpacked content works comfortably on a modern computer.