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TAR.ZST File - What is a .tar.zst file and how do I open it?
Learn about .TAR.ZST files and view a list of programs that open them.
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What is a TAR.ZST file? A TAR.ZST file is an archive created by first bundling multiple files into a single Tape Archive ( .TAR file) and then compressing it using the Zstandard ( .ZST ) algorithm. It stores multiple files and folders, and is commonly used in Linux and other Unix-like environments to distribute software packages, system backups, and large datasets. TAR.ZST files are also saved as .TZST files.
More Information Unlike older compression methods, such as gzip or bzip2, Zstandard provides a balance between speed and compression ratio, making it especially helpful for large collections of data. TAR preserves the original directory structure and metadata , and Zstandard compresses the resulting archive, which ensures both integrity and reduced file size for faster transfers. NOTE: Developers, system administrators, and Linux users often encounter TAR.ZST files when downloading source code, application packages, or mirrored repositories.
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.TAR.ZST File Extension
Zstandard Compressed Tar Archive
| Developer | N/A |
| Popularity |
3.0 | 1 Vote |
What is a TAR.ZST file?
A TAR.ZST file is an archive created by first bundling multiple files into a single Tape Archive ( .TAR file) and then compressing it using the Zstandard ( .ZST ) algorithm. It stores multiple files and folders, and is commonly used in Linux and other Unix-like environments to distribute software packages, system backups, and large datasets. TAR.ZST files are also saved as .TZST files.
More Information
Unlike older compression methods, such as gzip or bzip2, Zstandard provides a balance between speed and compression ratio, making it especially helpful for large collections of data. TAR preserves the original directory structure and metadata , and Zstandard compresses the resulting archive, which ensures both integrity and reduced file size for faster transfers.
NOTE: Developers, system administrators, and Linux users often encounter TAR.ZST files when downloading source code, application packages, or mirrored repositories.
How to open a TAR.ZST file
You can open TAR.ZST files by decompressing them with a Zstandard-compatible tool, such as Zstandard ot the zstd command-line utility, and then extract the resulting TAR archive using standard tar commands. On Linux, this can be done in one step using:
tar --use-compress-program=unzstd -xf archive.tar.zst
On Windows and macOS, third-party utilities, such as PeaZip and Bandizip, can decompress and extract TAR.ZST files. After extraction, the contents appear as normal files and folders, preserving the original structure from when the archive was created.
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Programs that open TAR.ZST files
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Zstandard
Free
PeaZip
Free
Windows
Bandisoft Bandizip
Free Trial
Mac
Bandisoft Bandizip
Free Trial
Category: Compressed Files
Updated: February 17, 2026