# TAR File Extractor

Extract a single file from TAR archive by exact path (requires 7zip command)

> Canonical page: https://elysiatools.com/en/tools/tar-selective-extract

- **Category:** Compression

- **Keywords:** tar, extract, file, single file

## Overview

The TAR File Extractor allows you to quickly pull a specific file from a large TAR archive without needing to extract the entire contents. By specifying the exact file path, you can save time and storage space when you only need one piece of data from a massive backup or project folder.

## Inputs

- **TAR Archive File** (file): Select TAR archive file
- **File Path to Extract** (text): Enter the exact file path from the archive. Use preview tool to see available files.

## When to use

- When you need to retrieve a single configuration file from a large server backup archive.
- When you want to avoid extracting gigabytes of data just to access one specific document.
- When you are working on a system where you need to isolate a specific asset from a TAR package.

## How it works

- Upload your TAR archive file using the file selector.
- Use the preview tool to identify the exact path of the file you wish to extract.
- Enter the precise file path into the input field.
- Submit the request to extract and download only the requested file.

## Use cases

- Retrieving a single log file from a multi-gigabyte system backup.
- Extracting a specific source code file from a project archive without unpacking the entire repository.
- Isolating a single image or asset from a large collection stored in a TAR container.

## Frequently asked questions

### Do I need to extract the whole archive?

No, this tool is specifically designed to extract only the single file you specify, saving you time and disk space.

### How do I know the correct file path?

You should use the archive preview tool to list the contents of your TAR file and copy the exact path of the file you need.

### Is there a limit to the file size I can upload?

Yes, the tool supports TAR files up to 500MB in size.

### What happens if the file path is incorrect?

The tool will be unable to locate the file within the archive and will return an error; please verify the path using the preview tool.

### Does this tool support other archive formats like ZIP or RAR?

No, this tool is strictly for TAR archive files.

## Related tools

- [7Z File Extractor](https://elysiatools.com/en/tools/7z-selective-extract): Extract a single file from 7Z archive by exact path (requires 7zip command)
- [TAR.GZ File Extractor](https://elysiatools.com/en/tools/tar-gz-selective-extract): Extract a single file from TAR.GZ archive by exact path (requires 7zip command)
- [ZIP File Extractor](https://elysiatools.com/en/tools/zip-selective-extract): Extract a single file from ZIP archive by exact path
- [Album Art Extractor](https://elysiatools.com/en/tools/audio-album-art-extractor): Extract the album art from an audio file
- [Extract Center Channel](https://elysiatools.com/en/tools/audio-center-channel-extract): Extract the center channel from a surround audio file or video audio track
- [Audio Extract Segment](https://elysiatools.com/en/tools/audio-extract-segment): Extract a single segment from an audio file
- [Audio Melody Contour Extractor](https://elysiatools.com/en/tools/audio-melody-contour-extractor): Extract a dominant melody path from audio and export MIDI, note events, a pitch contour, SVG, and JSON in one ZIP.
- [Image Extract by Coordinates](https://elysiatools.com/en/tools/image-extract-coordinates): Extract a specific region from an image using precise X, Y coordinates and dimensions

## Samples

- [Web Image Processing Python Samples](https://elysiatools.com/en/samples/web-image-processing-python): Web Python image processing examples using PIL/Pillow including reading, saving, resizing, and format conversion
- [Changelog Extractor Samples](https://elysiatools.com/en/samples/changelog-extractor): Various changelog formats for testing changelog parsing and extraction tools
- [Markdown Link Extractor Samples](https://elysiatools.com/en/samples/markdown-with-links): Sample Markdown documents with various link types for testing the Markdown Link Extractor tool
- [Phone Number Extractor Samples](https://elysiatools.com/en/samples/phone-number-extractor): Collection of mixed text containing phone numbers from various countries for extraction testing

## Related content

- [Archive Preview, Selective Extraction, and Format Conversion](https://elysiatools.com/en/hubs/archive-preview-selective-extraction-and-conversion): Preview supported archives, extract one verified member, and convert the result.