MAT to TAR Converter
Processing entirely on your device — large files may take a moment.
MATLAB Image and TAR Archive exist for different jobs: MAT is the MATLAB workspace image format — arrays saved by MATLAB and scientific tools, often holding raster frames from simulations or sensors alongside numeric data. TAR preserves the exact file tree and permissions that Linux tooling expects.
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 MAT compares to TAR
| MAT | TAR | |
|---|---|---|
| Compression | None / zlib level 9 | None (pair with gzip/zstd) |
| Best for | Simulation frames, sensor arrays | Linux packaging and source trees |
How to convert MAT to TAR
- 1
Select your files
Select your MAT file — it never leaves your device.
- 2
Convert instantly
The engine packs the file, byte for byte, into a TAR container — no re-encoding, no quality change.
- 3
Download results
Download the finished TAR archive.
About the MAT format
MAT is the workspace format of MATLAB and its open-source sibling Octave. Image data shows up inside MAT files as numeric arrays — simulation frames, sensor captures, processed microscopy — usually alongside the variables and metadata a research script produced with them.
Converting the image arrays inside a MAT file to PNG makes them viewable and shareable without MATLAB — useful for reports, papers and collaborations where colleagues do not have a MATLAB license.
+Strengths
- ✓Carries numeric precision end to end
- ✓Pairs image data with research variables
- ✓Octave compatibility (open tooling)
!Limitations
- −Requires MATLAB/Octave to open
- −Not an image container by design
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 MAT to TAR?
There is a concrete reason this conversion exists: Requires MATLAB/Octave to open TAR sidesteps that — Preserves Unix permissions and symlinks If that is your situation, the tool above settles it in seconds, entirely on your device.
Frequently asked questions
Is this MAT 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.
Will I lose quality converting MAT to TAR?
No — TAR is a lossless format, so every pixel of the converted image matches your original MAT file. You can also adjust the quality/size balance before converting when the target format supports compression.
What happens to EXIF data and other metadata?
Conversions here re-encode the image, and re-encoding generally does not carry the original metadata over. If the EXIF data of your MAT files matters (camera model, GPS, timestamps), keep the original file as the master and treat the converted copy as the shareable version.
Can I convert several MAT files at once?
Yes — drop as many files as you like into the tool and they are converted in one batch. When more than one file comes out, everything is bundled into a ZIP for a single download.