CAB to TAR.GZ Converter
Processing entirely on your device — large files may take a moment.
TAR.GZ is what open-source projects and Linux servers expect to receive. 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.
iLoveConverter processes everything locally on your computer, which makes it private and fast: no upload wait, no server storage, no limits. Add as many files as you like — batch conversion is built in.
How CAB compares to TAR.GZ
| CAB | TAR.GZ | |
|---|---|---|
| Compression | MSZIP / LZX | gzip (DEFLATE) |
| Encryption | None | None |
| Bundling | Multi-file with folders | TAR bundle, single stream |
| Best for | Drivers and Windows updates | Source releases and backups |
How to convert CAB to TAR.GZ
- 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.GZ". The conversion runs entirely inside your browser using WebAssembly — no upload, no queue, no waiting.
- 3
Download results
Download each converted TAR.GZ 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.GZ format
TAR.GZ is the classic Unix distribution shape: a TAR bundle squeezed through gzip (DEFLATE-based). Every Linux package of source code, every Apache tarball, every data-science dataset arrives this way. Decompression is a pipeline — untar the gzip stream — and the format is understood everywhere Unix ideas went.
gzip compresses the whole archive as one stream, which keeps ratio decent for text-heavy trees but means reaching file #400 requires decompressing the previous 399. Modern alternatives (zstd) are faster at similar ratios, yet tar.gz remains the safest common denominator.
+ Strengths
- ✓Universally understood on Unix-like systems
- ✓Good ratio for text and source trees
- ✓Preserves Unix permissions via TAR
! Limitations
- −Single stream — no random access
- −Slower than modern zstd
- −Two-step format (tar + gzip)
Why convert CAB to TAR.GZ?
Converting makes sense where the strengths of TAR.GZ meet what CAB cannot give you. Universally understood on Unix-like systems Meanwhile Windows-centric — opaque elsewhere One pass through the converter above puts your file on the right side of that trade-off.
Frequently asked questions
Is this CAB to TAR.GZ 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.GZ?
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.
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.
Are the files inside my CAB archive modified?
No. Contents are unpacked in memory and repacked into TAR.GZ byte-for-byte — the conversion changes the container, never the files inside it.