What Is a .tar File? .tar Format, MIME & How to Open

Quick facts

Extension.tar

File typeTAR Archive

MIME typeapplication/x-tar

CategoryArchive

Charset—

CompressibleYes

Format familytar

What is .tar

What is a .tar file?

A .tar file is a TAR Archive — Uncompressed tape archive bundling multiple files.

In the mime-db registry it maps to application/x-tar, and it is marked as compressible. When serving .tar over HTTP, set the Content-Type header as shown in Developer info below.

Related entities: it maps to application/x-tar — and is delivered over HTTP via the Content-Type header.

How to open .tar files

Use tar or 7-Zip to open and edit .tar files.
Any text editor (Notepad, VS Code) can inspect the raw content as text.

Developer info

When served over HTTP, responses should set the following header:

Content-Type: application/x-tar

Common software that reads/writes .tar:

tar7-ZipWinRAR

Relation chain

.tarextension of

format

tarserved as

mime type

application/x-tarsent via header

http header

Content-Type

Related extensions

.tgz

Compressed TAR Archive

.tar.gz

Compressed TAR Archive

Related MIME types

application/x-tar

.tar

Common uses

File distribution
Backup bundles
Software installation packages

How to edit .tar files

Open the file with tar, make your changes and save.
Most editors preserve the original formatting and encoding — avoid changing the charset.

How to create .tar files

Create a new file and save it with the .tar extension, or export this format from tar.

Frequently asked questions

What programs can open .tar files?

Common options include tar, 7-Zip, WinRAR. You can also open many of these files with built-in viewers or a browser.

How do I create a .tar file?

Create a new file in any text editor or the app that owns the format and save it with the .tar extension.

What is the relationship between .tar and the application/x-tar MIME type?

application/x-tar is the media type identifier used for .tar files during network transfer (for example in the HTTP Content-Type header).

Sources & standards

Updated 2026-09-13

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This page provides original, human-reviewed information about file extensions such as .tar, the File Extension Reference and related concepts. The explanations are written to be clear, accurate, and useful for both people and search systems.

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