What is GZ File and How Do You UnZip It?

You might have come across some files known as GZ files on your computer but may not know how to open or extract them. Well, you don’t have to worry anymore because we bring you this guide to help you to know what is GZ file and how to unzip them. We will discuss how to unzip GZ file that you have on your computer on various operating systems including macOS, Linux, and Windows 10. But first, let’s look at what the file is.

What is GZ File and How Do You UnZip It?

Here, we have explained about what is GZ file and how to unzip it in Windows, Mac and Linux.

What is GZ File?

A compressed file that has been created by the GZip compression utility is known as a GZ file. For file compression and decompression on operating systems like Linux, Windows, and macOS, you can use the GZip program. When storing huge files or transferring files over the internet more rapidly, GZ files are often used, they also save your storage space, as the files are smaller in size. A lossless data compression algorithm used to compress and decompress data is the foundation of the GZ file format. While the file format and ZIP file format are similar, the files are typically smaller and more effective than ZIP files. You can open them on operating systems including Windows, Linux, and macOS, we will discuss the steps on all these platforms.

How to Unzip GZ File in Windows 10?

There are several ways to open GZ file on Windows 10, as you have learned what is GZ files, and learned that they are compressed file formats. For decompressing or extracting the  files, you can use the Command Prompt approach if you prefer commands, or you can extract your files using a free third-party program if you prefer to do it without using any commands.

Unzip the GZ file using Command Prompt:

Follow the below mentioned steps on your Windows system, to know how to unzip your GZ files.

1. Press the Windows key, type cmd and click on Open.

2. Type the command cd <source> on the Command Prompt window that will open, and press Enter.

Note: Replace the source with the source location of where the GZ file is located.

 

3. Now, type the command tar -xvzf <FileName> -C <destination> and press Enter key.

Note: Replace the FileName with the name of your file and Destination with the name of the folder where you want your extracted files to be saved.).

Your destination folder should contain all the extracted files, once all the steps are performed correctly.

Also Read: How to Open GZ File in Windows 10

Unzip GZ files using third-party apps:

These files can be opened on Windows 10 using the WinRAR software. You can use this popular archiving tool WinRAR to extract the contents of a GZ file on Windows 10, and the best thing is, the software is free and open source. To unzip the file on your PC, there are a ton of other free software options available.

Here’s how you use this software to decompress GZ archives on your PC:

1. Visit the official WinRAR website to download and set up WinRAR.

 

2. Select Extract files from the context menu when you right-click on the file that you want to extract.

3. A window will open where you can choose the location where you want the extracted files to be saved. After choosing the location, click on the OK button.

The files will start to be extracted by WinRAR, and a progress bar showing the extraction status will appear.

You can access the extracted files in the location you chose in step 3 after the extraction is finished.

Now that you have learned what is GZ file is and how to extract or unzip a GZ file in Windows, let’s check how to unzip it on a Mac.

How to Unzip GZ File on Mac?

If you own a Mac and were searching for how to unzip a GZ file on a Mac, below are the steps to extract your file without needing to download additional software. It’s simple to unzip the files on your Mac because of the built-in program called Archive Utility.

1. Open Finder on your Mac.

2. Now, open the folder that contains your file. For example, if the file is in your Pictures folder, click Pictures.

3. To extract the files, double-click the file. The files and folders will be unzipped and placed in the current folder.

Another way to unzip the file on Mac is by using the built-in gunzip command in the Terminal app. To know how to do it, follow these simple steps:

1. Open the Terminal app on your Mac.

 

2. To access the folder containing your file, type cd and then type the location of your file. For example, if the file is in your Pictures folder, type cd /Pictures, and press Return.

3. To extract the files, type the gunzip filename.gz command.

Note: Replace the filename with the name of the file that you want to extract.

Therefore, files will be extracted in the current folder where your file is located.

Also Read: How to Open EMZ Files on Windows 10

How to Unzip GZ File on Linux?

Don’t worry, if you were searching to unzip GZ file Linux OS, then this is for you, as we are going to discuss the steps to know how to do it.

Follow these steps to unzip your the files:

1. Open a Terminal window by pressing Ctrl + Alt + T keys together on your keyboard.

2. Then execute in the given command to unzip your GZ file.

gzip -d filename.gz

Note: Replace the filename with the name of your GZ file.

The files will be extracted in the same folder or location where your file is.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Q1. What application can open GZ files?

Ans. It is a compressed file format that is compressed using the GZIP format. You can use file compression tools like WinZip, 7-Zip, or WinRAR to open or extract a GZ file. It is typically used on Unix and Linux systems but can also be opened on Windows and macOS using these file compression tools.

Q2. Are GZ files safe?

Ans. These files are those that have been compressed using the GZip algorithm. A popular and widely accepted technique for compressing files is a secure technique. However, to be sure, nefarious individuals might make the files that include malware or other harmful code, just like they could with any other file format. It’s crucial to only open the files from reliable sources. Before opening if you’re unsure of its origin, you should scan it with a reliable antivirus program.

Q3. How can I unzip a GZ file without using any third-party app on Mac?

Ans. It’s simple to unzip the files on your Mac because of the built-in program called Archive Utility. Another way to unzip on Mac is by using the built-in gunzip command in the Terminal app. Check the above article to know about the steps.

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So, after going through this guide we are sure that you have learned what is GZ file and how to unzip it that you have on your computer. With the detailed steps mentioned in the guide for the following operating systems and devices, including Linux, Mac, and Windows. It should be easy for you to unzip those files now. Hope you found this guide helpful and if you have any queries or suggestions, you can always leave a comment down below.