Convert APK to TAR
Free, fast APK → TAR. No watermarks, no sign-up.
How to convert APK to TAR
1. Upload APK
Drop your APK file into the converter above.
2. Confirm TAR
Output is already set to TAR. Adjust only if you need to.
3. Download
Convert and download your TAR file instantly.
Format Details
APK
APK (Android Package) is a ZIP-based archive that bundles Android app code, resources, and manifests. Extract contents or repackage to ZIP, TAR, and other archive formats.
archiveTAR
TAR (Tape ARchive) is a Unix file archiving format that bundles multiple files and directories into a single file while preserving file permissions, ownership, timestamps, and symbolic links. Crucially, TAR performs no compression by itself and is almost always paired with a compression tool such as gzip, bzip2, or xz. TAR is the foundational packaging format for software distribution, backups, and data transfer throughout the Unix and Linux ecosystem.
archiveConverting APK to TAR: what actually changes
APK to TAR is one of the conversions this site performs, but the two formats are not interchangeable containers. Here is what the file keeps, what it loses, and how to get a result you can use.
What .APK and .TAR each hold
.APK is a archive format built for storing several files as one smaller bundle, storing the files packed inside and their paths. .TAR is a archive format built for storing several files as one smaller bundle, storing the files packed inside and their paths. Converting between them is a decision about which of those two jobs the result needs to do.
What changes in the conversion
Both files belong to the archive category, so this is a like-for-like repackage: the same kind of content, stored in a different container. What changes is how .TAR encodes the files packed inside and their paths — not what the file is about.
When this conversion is the right one
Reach for .TAR when the software, device or platform you are sending to expects it — the content is the same archive, only the packaging differs. The reverse direction works the same way, so you can always convert back from .TAR to .APK using the same tool.
Tips for a clean APK to TAR conversion
Start from the original file
Convert the .APK you started with, not an earlier .TAR output. Every extra round trip costs quality and can accumulate formatting drift.
Check the real type, not the extension
Application/vnd.android.package-archive becomes application/x-tar. If a file was renamed rather than converted, it will fail to open — rename it back to its true extension before uploading and the conversion will recognise it.
The contents travel with it
Archives are repacked, not opened. Password-protected or damaged .APK bundles fail for the same reason in the target format, so test the source archive before converting.
Limits worth knowing
Uploads are capped per file (30 MB, or 100 MB for video) and processed temporarily — nothing is kept as a permanent copy. For huge archive files, split or compress the source first.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I convert APK to TAR?
Upload your APK file on Convertek, select TAR as the output format, then click Convert. Your TAR file will be ready to download instantly.
Is the APK to TAR converter free?
Yes. Converting APK to TAR on Convertek is completely free with no watermarks. Fair upload limits apply (typically 30 MB per file).
Is my file kept after conversion?
No. Files are processed temporarily and not stored permanently. Converted downloads are available only in your browser session.
What is the difference between APK and TAR?
APK and TAR are different file formats with distinct use cases. Converting between them lets you use your file in software or workflows that require the TAR format.