CHM to TGZ Converter
Processing entirely on your device — large files may take a moment.
Compiled HTML Help and Gzipped TAR (TGZ) exist for different jobs: CHM is Microsoft's compiled help format: HTML topics, images and an index compressed into one legacy-but-everywhere file. Old software manuals, ebooks and documentation still ship as CHM. Convert TGZ exactly like TAR.GZ — unpack, repack or inspect.
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 CHM compares to TGZ
| CHM | TGZ | |
|---|---|---|
| Compression | LZX | gzip (DEFLATE) |
| Encryption | None | None |
| Bundling | HTML topics + index in one file | TAR bundle, single stream |
| Best for | Legacy software manuals | Source releases and backups |
How to convert CHM to TGZ
- 1
Select your files
Drag & drop your CHM 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 TGZ". The conversion runs entirely inside your browser using WebAssembly — no upload, no queue, no waiting.
- 3
Download results
Download each converted TGZ file individually, or grab everything at once as a ZIP archive.
About the CHM format
CHM (Compiled HTML Help) is Microsoft's format for bundling HTML topics, images and a searchable index into one file. An entire generation of software manuals, programming references and even novels shipped as CHM — and modern Windows no longer renders it comfortably.
Extracting a CHM gives you back the raw HTML topics and images: open them in any browser, convert them onward to PDF or EPUB, or migrate the content into a modern documentation system. The help tree becomes regular files.
+ Strengths
- ✓Unlocks decades of locked-in documentation
- ✓Topics come out as clean, standalone HTML
- ✓No deprecated viewer required
! Limitations
- −Index and search metadata do not convert
- −Topic filenames are often opaque codes
- −Some CHM files use encodings that need care
About the TGZ 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 CHM to TGZ?
There is a concrete reason this conversion exists: Index and search metadata do not convert TGZ sidesteps that — Universally understood on Unix-like systems If that is your situation, the tool above settles it in seconds, entirely on your device.
Frequently asked questions
Is this CHM to TGZ 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 CHM to TGZ?
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.
What about folders and directory structure?
The full directory tree is preserved: folders stay folders, and deep paths arrive exactly as they were packed in the CHM file.