1 What Is a RAR File?

The quick explanation.

A .rar file is a compressed archive — essentially a container that holds one or more files packed together to save space. It works exactly like a ZIP file, just in a different format created by a program called WinRAR.

You can't open RAR files with Windows' built-in tools (unlike ZIP files). You'll need a free third-party program, but the process is quick and painless.

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How do I know it's a RAR file? The file name ends in .rar — for example, Project_Files.rar or Photos_Backup.rar.

2 Step-by-Step: Open Your RAR File

Choose your computer type below.

Using 7-Zip (Free)

1

Download and install 7-Zip

Go to 7-zip.org and download the 64-bit Windows version. Run the installer — click "Install" then "Close."

2

Right-click the RAR file

Find your .rar file in File Explorer. Right-click on it and look for 7-Zip in the menu (click "Show more options" on Windows 11 if needed).

3

Click "Extract Here" or "Extract to [folder name]"

"Extract Here" puts files in the same location. "Extract to…" creates a new folder. Either works.

4

Enter the password (if required)

If the RAR is password-protected, type or paste the password when prompted. If no password prompt appears, it's not encrypted — you're done!

Using WinZip

WinZip also handles RAR files with a polished drag-and-drop interface. Just open WinZip, drag the RAR file into the window, and click Extract.

Using The Unarchiver (Free)

1

Install The Unarchiver from the App Store

Open the App Store, search for "The Unarchiver", and install it. It's free.

2

Right-click the RAR file → Open With → The Unarchiver

Find your RAR file in Finder, right-click, choose "Open With", and select The Unarchiver.

3

Enter password if prompted

If the RAR is encrypted, type or paste the password. The extracted files appear in the same folder.

Using Keka (Free)

Keka is another excellent free Mac app for archives. Download from keka.io or the App Store. Works the same way — right-click → Open With → Keka.

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RAR vs ZIP — what's the difference? Functionally, they do the same thing. RAR files sometimes compress slightly better and support recovery records for damaged files. ZIP is more universal. You don't need to care about the difference — just use the right tool to open whichever one you receive.
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3 Troubleshooting

Quick fixes for common RAR issues.

This means the RAR file was created with a newer version of RAR (RAR5 format) than your extraction tool supports. Update 7-Zip to the latest version, or use WinZip which supports all RAR versions.

These are split archives — the original file was too large to send in one piece. Make sure you have all parts downloaded and in the same folder. Then open just the first part (.rar or .r01) with 7-Zip or WinZip. It will automatically combine all parts during extraction.

The RAR file itself may be damaged from a bad download. Try re-downloading it. If the sender created the RAR with recovery records, 7-Zip or WinRAR can sometimes repair it — right-click → 7-Zip → "Test archive" to check integrity.