XI 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 XI format, this page is the shortcut: XI is the FastTracker II instrument format — 8/16-bit sample instruments with loop points, carried inside every XM tracker module kit.
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 to convert XI to TAR
- 1
Select your files
Select your XI 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 XI format
XI is the FastTracker II instrument format — 8/16-bit sample instruments with loop points, carried inside every XM tracker module kit.
ffmpeg decodes it natively inside your browser — the audio track is re-encoded to your chosen format with nothing ever uploaded.
+Strengths
- ✓Decoded natively by ffmpeg
- ✓Runs entirely in your browser
- ✓Free, private, no watermarks
!Limitations
- −Legacy niche format
- −Modern tools rarely open it
- −Keep the original for archival round-trips
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 XI to TAR?
Converting makes sense where the strengths of TAR meet what XI cannot give you. Preserves Unix permissions and symlinks Meanwhile Legacy niche format One pass through the converter above puts your file on the right side of that trade-off.
Frequently asked questions
Is this XI 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 XI 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.
Will converting XI to TAR reduce audio quality?
If TAR is lossless, the output contains everything the XI file contains — no further loss is added. If TAR is lossy, one recompression pass is unavoidable; the quality slider controls how much. Loss that already happened in the source file can never be undone by converting.
Are tags like title and artist preserved?
Tag handling varies between target formats and this conversion focuses on the audio itself. For archival copies where tags matter, keep the original file; the converted copy is for playback and sharing.