How to Extract BZ2, TBZ and TBZ2 Files on iPhone

Bzip2 is a compression stream, not a directory format. A .bz2 file can decode to one original file; .tar.bz2, .tbz and .tbz2 commonly wrap a TAR of many files. Fileso detects the inner TAR when the decoded bytes form one.

Extract .bz2, .tbz, .tbz2 in Fileso

1. Save the compressed file in Fileso with its full filename and extension.
2. Tap it and choose Extract. Use Extract to Folder if you need a different destination; View prepares a temporary extracted copy for inspection.
3. Wait for decoding to finish. A simple compressed stream may produce one file, while an inner TAR or CPIO produces multiple entries.
4. Open a resulting file and check its size and type before discarding the compressed source.

If the sender supplied a source package, extract it into a separate folder before moving files elsewhere. Compare the resulting folder name with the package name and open a small text file to confirm that the decode completed.

If extraction fails

Bzip2 streams can fail when a downloaded part is missing or corrupt. If the output looks incomplete, compare file size against the source and re-download it. A .tbz2 name by itself does not prove that a valid TAR is inside.

Common question

Do TBZ and TBZ2 require different apps? No. They are common shorthand extensions for bzip2-compressed TAR archives.

Read: How to Open XZ, TXZ and TAR.XZ Files on iPhone.