How to Open a RAR File on Windows, macOS, and Linux

RAR is a proprietary archive format created by Eugene Roshal (hence "Roshal Archive"). Unlike ZIP, Windows and macOS have no built-in RAR support — you need a third-party tool.

Windows: Use 7-Zip (Free)

7-Zip is the best free option for Windows. It handles RAR, ZIP, 7z, TAR, GZ, and virtually every other archive format.

1. Download 7-Zip from 7-zip.org — choose the 64-bit version
2. Install it (30 seconds)
3. Right-click your RAR file
4. Select 7-Zip → Extract Here (extracts to same folder) or Extract to "filename" (extracts to a new subfolder)

That's it. No account, no purchase, no limit on file size.

Why not WinRAR? WinRAR works fine but displays a purchase nag screen after a trial period. 7-Zip is genuinely free and open-source.

macOS: Use The Unarchiver (Free)

The Unarchiver is a free macOS app that opens RAR, ZIP, 7z, TAR, and more.

1. Open the App Store on your Mac
2. Search for "The Unarchiver"
3. Install it (free)
4. Double-click the RAR file — The Unarchiver opens it automatically
5. Choose where to extract and click "Extract"

Alternatively, set The Unarchiver as the default handler for RAR files so it opens automatically on double-click.

Linux: Command Line or File Manager

Terminal:

sudo apt install unrar        # Debian/Ubuntu
sudo dnf install unrar        # Fedora
unrar x filename.rar          # Extract with full paths

File manager: Most Linux file managers (Nautilus, Dolphin, Thunar) handle RAR when the unrar package is installed — right-click → Extract.

RAR vs ZIP: Key Differences

Multi-Part RAR Files

If you have multiple files named archive.part1.rar, archive.part2.rar, etc.:

• Place all parts in the same folder
• Open (or right-click) archive.part1.rar only
• The extractor automatically reads all parts in sequence
• You need all parts — extracting with one missing part will fail at that point