<p><code>7zip</code> is file archiver capable of running <code>gzip</code>-style compression, and runs on Windows: <a href="https://www.7-zip.org/" rel="noreferrer">https://www.7-zip.org/</a></p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-07-03T13:37:31.723Z
2021-07-03T13:37:31.723Z
TimD1
<p>If your Windows 10 build number is 17063 or later, you can use <code>tar</code> command to compress file in Windows PowerShell:</p>
<pre><code>tar -vczf output.fq.gz input.fastq
</code></pre>
<p>The <code>-z</code> flag means to compress archive with gzip.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2022-06-27T13:08:02.697Z
2022-06-27T13:08:02.697Z
Forrest Vigor
<p>Bioinformatics is 99% done in <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Unix-like" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Unix-like</a> environments, and trying to come up with Windows solutions is unnecessary effort. The Windows Subsystem Linux (WSL2) provides you with a native Linux distribution within Windows that easily allow you to do any Unix-ish thing such as running gzip. It is straight-forward to install, see its online documentation.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2022-06-28T20:37:14.743Z
Your answer could be improved with additional supporting information. Please [edit] to add further details, such as citations or documentation, so that others can confirm that your answer is correct. You can find more information on how to write good answers [in the help center](/help/how-to-answer).
Community
CC BY-SA 4.0
2022-06-28T21:36:23.440Z
You could be a little less condescending especially given how late your answer is.
Ram RS
CC BY-SA 4.0
2022-06-28T10:45:42.803Z
2023-09-26T08:07:27.913Z
2023-09-26T08:07:27.913Z
detroit_lions_cannot_win
<p>I downloaded some of my data in fastq format instead of fastq.gz. I want to upload my data on a server now.</p>
<p>I was wondering if there is a way to convert my fastq files to fastq.gz on windows (I read some stuff about python, but I'm not quite sure) before uploading them on the server, since it takes a lot of time uploading the fastq files.</p>

<fasta><fastq>
Compressing read data (converting fastq to fastq.gz) on Windows
# Compressing read data (converting fastq to fastq.gz) on Windows

(Asked by: username_0 on 2021-07-03)

I downloaded some of my data in fastq format instead of fastq.gz. I want to upload my data on a server now.

I was wondering if there is a way to convert my fastq files to fastq.gz on windows (I read some stuff about python, but I'm not quite sure) before uploading them on the server, since it takes a lot of time uploading the fastq files.

**Tags:** fasta, fastq

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## 3 answers

### Answer by username_1 on 2021-07-03. Score: 7

`7zip` is file archiver capable of running `gzip`-style compression, and runs on Windows: <https://www.7-zip.org/>


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### Answer by username_2 on 2022-06-27. Score: 2

If your Windows 10 build number is 17063 or later, you can use tar command to compress file in Windows PowerShell:
tar -vczf output.fq.gz input.fastq

The -z flag means to compress archive with gzip.


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### Answer by username_3 on 2022-06-28. Score: -1

Bioinformatics is 99% done in [Unix-like](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Unix-like) environments, and trying to come up with Windows solutions is unnecessary effort. The Windows Subsystem Linux (WSL2) provides you with a native Linux distribution within Windows that easily allow you to do any Unix-ish thing such as running gzip. It is straight-forward to install, see its online documentation.

> **Comments:**
> **username_4**: Your answer could be improved with additional supporting information. Please [edit] to add further details, such as citations or documentation, so that others can confirm that your answer is correct. You can find more information on how to write good answers [in the help center](/help/how-to-answer).  
> **username_5**: You could be a little less condescending especially given how late your answer is.  

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