Archives & disk images · .rar
What Is a RAR File?
A .rar file is a compressed archive format created by WinRAR.
- Extension
- .rar
- Full name
- Roshal Archive
- Type
- Archive
- MIME type
- application/vnd.rar
- Developed by
- Eugene Roshal (1993)
Free RAR Tools
These run in your browser. Your RAR files are never uploaded.
About RAR Files
RAR is a proprietary archive format created by the author of WinRAR. It often compresses slightly better than ZIP and supports recovery records that can repair damaged archives, strong AES encryption and splitting into parts (.part1.rar, .part2.rar). Only WinRAR can create RAR files, but many free tools extract them. Windows 11 opens RAR files natively since 2023, while macOS needs an app such as The Unarchiver.
How to Open a RAR File
- Windows
- Windows 11 opens RAR in File Explorer. On older versions use 7-Zip or WinRAR.
- Mac
- Use The Unarchiver or Keka, both free.
- iPhone & Android
- On iPhone, the Files app can't open RAR; use an app such as iZip. On Android use ZArchiver or RAR.
RAR File Questions
How do I open a multi-part RAR?
Put all parts in the same folder and open the first one (.part1.rar or .rar). The tool extracts the rest automatically.
Is WinRAR free?
WinRAR is shareware: it offers a free trial and keeps working after it, with a reminder. 7-Zip is a free alternative for extracting.