How to open a .xz file
Quick, free ways to open XZ on any system.
A .xz file is a XZ Compressed File. If double-clicking does nothing, your computer simply does not have an app that reads XZ yet. Here is how to fix that on each operating system, using free software wherever possible.
Open a .xz file step by step
- Confirm the file really is a .xz. Drop it into the WhatFileType file identifier, which reads its signature without uploading anything.
- On Windows, open it with 7-Zip or WinRAR.
- On Mac, use The Unarchiver or Keka.
- On Linux, try xz or tar.
- Still stuck? Convert the .xz to gz, which opens more widely.
Best apps to open .xz files
Windows
- 7-Zip
- WinRAR
- PeaZip
macOS
- The Unarchiver
- Keka
- tar (command line)
Linux
- xz
- tar
- Ark / Nautilus
!
Before you open it: Safe to extract with a trusted tool. As with any archive, scan the contents before running anything you unpack.
Frequently asked questions
Why can't I open my .xz file?
Almost always because no installed app understands XZ. Install one of the apps above, or convert the file to a format your existing software already reads.
How do I open an .xz file?
Use 7-Zip on Windows, Keka on Mac, or the xz and tar commands on Linux. A .tar.xz needs two steps, or one command: tar -xf file.tar.xz.
Is XZ better than gzip?
Usually XZ makes smaller files, at the cost of slower compression. gzip is faster; XZ wins on ratio, which is why big downloads use it.