LZH to TAR.GZ Converter
Processing entirely on your device — large files may take a moment.
LZH (LHA) is the archive format of the Japanese PC-98 era and Amiga scene — still attached to old downloads and doujin material. TAR.GZ is what open-source projects and Linux servers expect to receive.
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 LZH compares to TAR.GZ
| LZH | TAR.GZ | |
|---|---|---|
| Compression | LZ (LHA variants) | gzip (DEFLATE) |
| Encryption | None | None |
| Bundling | Multi-file | TAR bundle, single stream |
| Best for | Retro software archives | Source releases and backups |
How to convert LZH to TAR.GZ
- 1
Select your files
Drag & drop your LZH 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 LZH format
LZH (also LHA) is the archive format that ruled Japanese PCs in the 8.3-filename era and the Amiga scene elsewhere. It compresses with a simple LZ scheme, predates ZIP's dominance, and still shows up attached to retro software, doujin archives and old BBS downloads.
No modern OS opens it natively, and LHA tools are niche. Converting LZH to ZIP is the one-step rescue: same files, universal container, no retro software hunt required.
+ Strengths
- ✓The retro Japanese/Amiga archive standard
- ✓Simple, well-documented compression
! Limitations
- −No native OS support today
- −Weak compression by modern standards
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 LZH to TAR.GZ?
Think of it as moving your file to the container that fits the job. No native OS support today TAR.GZ works differently: Universally understood on Unix-like systems If any of that sounds like your task, run the conversion — it takes seconds and nothing leaves your device.
Frequently asked questions
Is this LZH 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 LZH 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.
Are the files inside my LZH 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.
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 LZH file.