Can I extract a TAR.GZ archive on Windows without installing software?

Yes. Deliteful runs entirely in your browser — upload the archive, and extracted files are returned for download. No installation, no command line, no WSL required.

Will the folder structure inside the research archive be preserved?

Yes. The directory hierarchy is preserved exactly as packed. If a dataset is organized into subdirectories by variable, year, or condition, that structure will be intact in the extracted output.

What file size limits apply?

Archives up to 50 MB can be uploaded. The total extracted output is capped at 5 GB. Most supplementary data packages and replication archives fall well within these limits.

Is this safe to use with archives from public data repositories?

Yes. Extraction is sandboxed per archive, path traversal attacks are blocked, and symlinks are skipped. You can safely extract archives from any source without risk to your local machine.

Open TAR.GZ Research Archives Without Installing Anything

Academic researchers regularly download TAR.GZ archives from data repositories like Zenodo, ICPSR, or institutional FTPs — only to find they have no straightforward way to extract them on a managed university machine or Windows workstation. Deliteful extracts TAR, TAR.GZ, and TGZ archives directly in your browser, server-side, with no software installation and no command line required.

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Many scientific datasets and replication packages are distributed as TAR.GZ archives because the format preserves directory structure and compresses efficiently. On Windows or locked-down lab computers, extracting these requires either 7-Zip (not always installed), WSL, or Cygwin — all of which add friction before any actual research can begin. Deliteful removes that barrier entirely: upload the archive, get back a structured download, done.

Extraction preserves the full folder hierarchy inside the archive, so datasets organized by subject, year, or condition emerge exactly as the depositing researcher intended. The 5 GB uncompressed output cap covers the vast majority of supplementary data packages. For researchers who just need to inspect or access the contents of a shared archive quickly, this is a faster path than configuring local tools.

How it works

1
Create a free account
Sign in with Google — 3 clicks, no credit card needed.
2
Upload the archive
Upload your .tar, .tar.gz, or .tgz file (up to 50 MB).
3
Files are extracted server-side
Deliteful unpacks the archive with full safety checks and returns the contents with folder structure intact.
4
Download your files
Access all extracted files immediately for your research work.

Frequently asked questions

Can I extract a TAR.GZ archive on Windows without installing software?: Yes. Deliteful runs entirely in your browser — upload the archive, and extracted files are returned for download. No installation, no command line, no WSL required.
Will the folder structure inside the research archive be preserved?: Yes. The directory hierarchy is preserved exactly as packed. If a dataset is organized into subdirectories by variable, year, or condition, that structure will be intact in the extracted output.
What file size limits apply?: Archives up to 50 MB can be uploaded. The total extracted output is capped at 5 GB. Most supplementary data packages and replication archives fall well within these limits.
Is this safe to use with archives from public data repositories?: Yes. Extraction is sandboxed per archive, path traversal attacks are blocked, and symlinks are skipped. You can safely extract archives from any source without risk to your local machine.