How to Open a RAR File
A .rar file is a compressed archive created with WinRAR's proprietary format. Unlike ZIP, most operating systems can't open one natively — here's how, plus a free online extractor.
Open a RAR File Online
Drop a .rar file below to see what's inside and extract it — right in your browser, using a real archive engine (not a lookup service). Supports RAR4 and RAR5, including password-protected archives.
🔒 Nothing is uploaded — your file never leaves this device🔒 This archive is password-protected.
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What is a RAR file?
RAR (Roshal Archive) is a proprietary compressed archive format created by Eugene Roshal, the developer behind WinRAR. Like ZIP, it bundles and compresses files together, but it uses its own algorithms and isn't an open standard — which is why operating systems don't support it out of the box the way they support ZIP.
RAR comes in two current format generations you'll encounter: RAR4 (the older, still widely used format) and RAR5 (introduced in 2013, with better compression and stronger AES-256 encryption for passwords). Most modern extraction tools handle both automatically.
How to open a RAR file on Windows
- Install 7-Zip (free) or WinRAR (free to try, then nagware) if you don't already have an archive tool that supports RAR.
- Right-click the .rar file in File Explorer.
- Choose 7-Zip > Extract Here (or the equivalent WinRAR option).
- Enter the password if the archive is protected.
How to open a RAR file on Mac
macOS has no built-in RAR support. Install one of these free tools, then double-click the .rar file as usual:
- The Unarchiver — free, simple, handles RAR and most other archive formats.
- Keka — free, also supports creating archives in several formats.
- 7-Zip (via Homebrew:
brew install sevenzip) for a command-line option.
How to open a RAR file on Linux
Install the unrar or p7zip package, then extract from a terminal or your file manager's built-in "Extract Here":
sudo apt install unrarunrar x archive.rar
(Package names vary slightly by distribution — unrar-free or p7zip-full are common alternatives.)
How to open a RAR file on Android
- Install RAR (the official app by RARLAB) or ZArchiver from the Play Store — both are free.
- Open the app, browse to the .rar file, and tap it to extract.
How to open a RAR file on iPhone or iPad
The built-in Files app can't extract RAR on its own. Install a free app such as RAR (official RARLAB app) or Files by third-party developers that support RAR extraction from the App Store, then open the .rar file with it.
Multi-part (split) RAR files
Large archives are often split into numbered parts to fit upload limits or make transfers more manageable: archive.part1.rar, archive.part2.rar, and so on (older tools instead name them .rar, .r00, .r01...). To extract a split archive:
- Download every part into the same folder.
- Extract only the first part (
.part1.rar, or the plain.rarin the older naming scheme) — your archive tool automatically pulls in the rest.
If any part is missing or corrupted, extraction will fail partway through.
Password-protected RAR files
RAR supports strong AES-256 encryption for both file contents and, optionally, the file names/headers themselves. If you don't have the correct password, there's no legitimate way to open the contents — get the password from whoever created the archive. The online extractor above supports entering a password for content-encrypted archives directly in your browser.
RAR vs ZIP vs 7z
| Format | Type | Native OS support | Typical compression |
|---|---|---|---|
| .zip | Open standard (ISO/IEC 21320) | Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, iOS | Good, fast |
| .rar | Proprietary (RAR Labs) | None built-in on most systems | Often slightly better than ZIP, especially split archives |
| .7z | Open format (7-Zip) | None built-in; needs 7-Zip or similar | Usually the strongest of the three |
Is it safe to open a RAR file?
Same rule as any archive: the format itself isn't executable, but what's inside can be. Only open RAR files from sources you trust, and scan extracted contents with antivirus software before running anything unfamiliar — especially executables or macro-enabled documents.
Common RAR errors and how to fix them
"Unexpected end of archive" / "CRC failed"
The download is incomplete or corrupted. Re-download the file.
Extraction tool doesn't recognize the file
Your tool may be too old to support RAR5. Update to a recent version of 7-Zip or WinRAR.
Asks for a password you don't have
The archive is encrypted — you need the correct password from whoever created it. There's no reliable way to bypass RAR's AES-256 encryption.
Only part of the files extract, then it stops
This is a multi-part archive missing one of its .partN.rar files. Make sure every part is downloaded into the same folder.
Frequently asked questions
Does Windows have built-in RAR support?
Not fully. Since Windows 11's 2023 updates, File Explorer can extract RAR files natively in some builds, but support has been inconsistent and doesn't cover every RAR feature (like password-protected or multi-part archives). For reliable results on any Windows version, a free tool like 7-Zip is the standard solution.
Is RAR the same as ZIP?
No. Both compress and bundle files, but RAR is a proprietary format created by Eugene Roshal (RAR Labs), while ZIP is an open, universally supported standard. RAR often compresses slightly better, especially for large files split across multiple parts, but needs third-party software to open on most systems since it isn't built into operating systems the way ZIP is.
Why is my RAR file split into multiple parts (.part1.rar, .part2.rar)?
This is a multi-part (split) archive, usually created to keep individual file sizes under a limit for uploading or emailing. You need every part in the same folder to extract it — opening just .part1.rar with all the other parts present will extract the whole archive automatically; the other parts don't need to be opened individually.
Can I open a RAR file for free?
Yes. 7-Zip (Windows, free and open source), The Unarchiver or Keka (Mac, free), and unrar/p7zip (Linux, free) all open RAR files at no cost. WinRAR itself is technically shareware with an unlimited but nagging trial, so it isn't required just to extract files.
Why won't my RAR file extract?
Common causes: the download is incomplete or corrupted; the archive is password-protected and you don't have the password; it's a multi-part archive and you're missing one of the other .partN.rar files; or your extraction tool is outdated and doesn't support the RAR5 format used by newer archives.
Last updated September 21, 2026.