Files with a ".tgz" or ".tar.gz" extension are compressed archives that users of Unix-based operating systems use to more easily transfer or back up multiple files at once. TGZ files are created by a two-step process that first combines multiple files into a single one ("tar") and then compresses this single file so that it takes up less space ("gzip").
TGZ files perform a similar role as ZIP files that are more familiar to Windows users, but unlike ZIP, Windows does not contain any built-in support for working with TGZ files. If you are transferring files between Windows and Unix computers, however, you may need the ability to create TGZ archives from within Windows.
Step 1
Download the free and open-source application "7-Zip" by going to their website (see Resources) and clicking the "Download" link for the ".exe" file (if you are running 32-bit Windows) or the ".msi" file (if you are running 64-bit Windows).
Step 2
Install 7-Zip by double-clicking on the file that you downloaded and following the directions in the wizard that appears.
Step 3
Select the files in Windows Explorer that you want to add to a TGZ archive.
Step 4
Right-click on one of the files that you have selected, select "7-Zip" from the menu and then select "Add to archive..."
Step 5
Enter a new name for the archive in the field labeled "Archive" and then select "Tar" from the "Archive format" drop-down list. Leave the other options set to their default values and click "OK." A file with the extension ".tar" will be created in the current directory.
Step 6
Right-click on the new ".tar" file, select "7-Zip" from the menu, and then select "Add to archive..."
Step 7
Select "GZip" from the "Archive format" drop-down list. Leave the other options set to their default values and click "OK." A file with the extension ".tar.gz" will be created in the current directory. This file is the complete TGZ archive.