How to Decompress .xz Files in Ubuntu Terminal

This article provides a straightforward guide to decompressing .xz files within the Ubuntu command line interface. It covers the primary commands required to extract data, options to retain the original archive, and methods for processing multiple files at once. By following these instructions, you can efficiently manage compressed files on your Linux system.

Install Required Tools

The xz-utils package is typically pre-installed on Ubuntu. If the terminal returns a command not found error, install it with:

sudo apt install xz-utils

Use the Unxz Command

To decompress a file, type unxz followed by the file name. This extracts the data and deletes the original .xz archive.

unxz file.txt.xz

You can also use the xz command with the -d option for the same result:

xz -d file.txt.xz

Keep the Original Archive

Add the -k flag if you need to preserve the compressed file after extraction.

unxz -k file.txt.xz

Process Multiple Files

Use an asterisk wildcard to decompress every .xz file in the current directory simultaneously.

unxz *.xz

Check the directory with ls to confirm your files have been extracted successfully.