Open RAR files

Full name

WinRAR Compressed Archive Format
Developer

Eugene Roshal
Popularity

Have you encountered a problem with a RAR file? Don’t you know which program opens a file with this extension? You will find all the information you need about working with a RAR file here. In the further part of this page we have added a list of programs that should open your RAR file. It is enough you choose a proper application for your operating system, download and install it.

What is RAR file?

A RAR file, just like zip, is an archive file that can contain one or more files and can use a compression algorithm to achieve a smaller file size. Rar, named after its inventor Yevgeny Roschal, stands for Roshal ARchive. The Rar compression algorithm is not free of license fees, so RAR can only be created from the commercial products of the manufacturer Rarlab down to a few commercial alternatives.

More info

However, the Rar archive unpacking algorithm is royalty free, so unpacking a RAR archive is supported by almost any multiformat packager and on a variety of operating systems. To create one needs depending on

Operating system the programs WinRAR (for Windows), RAR for DOS, RAR for Linux, UnRarX for Macintosh.

The Rar format offers archive encryption with AES (up to 256 bit) as well as file name encryption.

So it is not possible for an unauthorized person to unpack the content nor to see from the filenames what the content is. Rar also offers the distribution of large amounts of data into several files, which then end in r00, r01, r02

or also rar.part1, rar.part2 etc. It also offers additional security mechanisms for shared archives.

Since there are different versions of the RAR formats, it may happen that a RAR archive does not appear to be unpackable. In this case you just need a newer version of the unpacking program. If in doubt, you should always try the latest version of the manufacturer's products, of which there are also trial versions.

The Rarformat has despite a mostly much higher compression rate than Zip only a medium distribution on the Internet experience, especially because of the commercial algorithm. On the other hand, Rar learns through the 7-Zip format, which is similarly good and better

Offers compression rates, from free side competition.

Programs which can open a RAR file

Windows

Linux

Mac OS

How to open file with RAR extension?

In order to open a file with RAR extension one of the following programs must be installed on user’s system. If a problem with opening RAR file occurred, it is highly possible that none of the listed programs is present on user’s system. Even if one or more said programs are installed, there may be issues related with given programs. In order to solve a problem with RAR files, follow the instructions below.

Install WinZip or other program from the list

Most often resolving problems with opening RAR files is very simple. Just install an appropriate program that supports such files. All of the listed programs support RAR files, but may vary in offered function and purpose. Some programs may be capable only of viewing contents of RAR files or offer file conversion options, but may not be capable of editing such files.

Set WinZip as the default program for opening RAR files

It is possible that although a compatible program has been installed on user’s system, it is not used by the system to open it. This may happen because no default application was associated with this type of files. To associate RAR files with given application, select "Open with" from drop-down menu (accessed by right-clicking on the file). Then select from the list the program or application you want to be used to open this type of file. If the WinZip applications is not on the list, select "Browse" option in order to manually locate the directory where WinZip has been installed.

Check the section that lists most common problems with RAR files

Sometimes problems with opening RAR files may not lie with the application itself, but can arise due to other causes, such as:

File data is corrupted
RAR files has been not been completely download from the internet (only a part of the data has been downloaded)
Currently used user account hasn’t been granted necessary privileges to open RAR files (should that be the case, please contact your system administrator or IT specialist)
RAR file was being copied from a corrupted storage device and is incomplete or data is corrupted. (Copying files from unknown or untrusted sources should be conducted with great care as such files may contain malicious software, which can damage your system)