How to Unrar a File: A Step-by-Step Guide for Any Device

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Easily unzip a .rar file on your computer and phone
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RAR files are compressed files like ZIP files that use less storage and can be easily transferred over the internet. You can unrar a file on any device, but unless you're using Windows 11, you'll need to install some free software first. This guide teaches you the easiest way to extract a RAR file on Windows, Mac, Linux, Android, & iOS.

How do you extract a RAR file (unrar)?

On Windows 11, you can just right-click the file, select Extract all, and follow the on-screen instructions. For other devices, you'll need to install a free RAR app like 7-Zip (Windows 10), The Unarchiver (Mac), Unrar (Linux), RAR (Android), or WinZip (iPhone/iPad).

Section 1 of 5:

Windows 11

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  1. 1
    Right-click the RAR file and select Extract all…. Now that Windows 11 comes with built-in RAR support, you don't need to download a third-party app to extract RAR files—they can be uncompressed just like ZIP files).[1]
    • While Windows 11 makes it easy to unrar files, you still can't create RAR files without a third-party app like WinRAR or 7-Zip.
    • If the RAR file is protected by a password, or you need to extract a series of RAR files (usually files ending with extensions like .r04, .r05, etc.), use the Windows 10 method instead.
  2. 2
    Choose where to extract the RAR file. If you want to extract the file to the current folder, you can leave the default folder in the field. Otherwise, click the Browse… button to select a different location.
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  3. 3
    Click Extract. This unrars the file and displays the extracted contents in a new window.
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Section 2 of 5:

Windows 10

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  1. Step 1 Download the 7-Zip installer.
    7-Zip is free, open-source file-archiver software that opens and manages RAR files in Windows. Here's how to install it:
    • Click the Download link next to your version of Windows (32-bit or 64-bit).
    • Save the installer to your computer.
  2. Step 2 Run the 7-Zip installer.
    Double-click the installer and follow the on-screen instructions to install 7-Zip on your PC.
  3. 3
    Double-click the RAR file to open it in 7-Zip. If it doesn't open in 7-Zip, right-click the RAR file, select Open with, and then choose 7-Zip File Manager.
    • If you're extracting a multi-part RAR file, double-click the first one in the series.
  4. 4
    Click the Extract button. It's the dark blue minus sign at the top of the 7-Zip window.
  5. 5
    Select a location and click OK. Choose where to extract the compressed files (if different from the default), then click OK to unrar the files. You can now find the compressed files in the folder you selected.
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Section 3 of 5:

Mac

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  1. 1
    Install The Unarchiver from the App Store. The Unarchiver is a free macOS app that easily extracts RAR files and many other compressed file types.[2] If you don't want to get it from the App Store, you can also download and install it from https://theunarchiver.com.[3]
  2. 2
    Control-click the RAR file you want to extract. To extract a RAR file with multiple parts, control-click the first file in the series (usually ending .R00, .part1, etc.).
  3. 3
    Select Open With > The Unarchiver. This extracts the files and places them into a new folder in the current directory.
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Section 4 of 5:

Linux

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  1. 1
    Install Unrar from your distribution's repositories. Unrar isn't preinstalled in any version of Linux, but you will be able to find it in most distributions default repositories.
    • For example, if you're using Ubuntu, Debian, or another Debian-based distribution, use apt install unrar to install Unrar.
    • If you can't find Unrar, check out How to Unrar Files in Linux to learn how to compile Unrar from source.
  2. 2
    cd into the directory containing the RAR file. For example, use cd ~/Downloads to enter the Downloads directory.
  3. 3
    Use unrar x filename.rar to unrar the file. The compressed files and folders inside the RAR archive will be extracted to the current directory.[4]
    • If you'd rather unrar the files to a different directory, use {{kbd}|unrar x filename.rar /path/to/directory}.
    • If the RAR file is protected by a password, enter the password when prompted.
    • If you're extracting a multiple-part RAR file (e.g., a file ending with .rar00, .rar01, .r01, .r012, etc.), you'll only need to unrar the first file in the series to extract all files.
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Section 5 of 5:

Mobile Devices

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  1. 1
    Use the RAR app for Android. On an Android phone or tablet, you'll need to install a third-party app to unrar files. RAR by RARLAB is a free file that makes it easy to extract RAR files. Just install it from the Play Store, open the RAR app, navigate to your RAR file, and follow the on-screen instructions.
  2. 2
    Use WinZip for iPhone & iPad. WinZip is a trusted developer, and their iOS app makes unpacking RAR files a breeze. Just download WinZip from the App Store, open the app, navigate to your RAR file, tap it, and follow the on-screen instructions.
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  • Try opening the RAR file on your computer before installing third-party RAR extraction software. The file will open if you already have compatible RAR software installed.
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References

  1. ↑ https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/topic/october-31-2023-kb5031455-os-builds-22621-2506-and-22631-2506-preview-6513c5ec-c5a
  2. ↑ https://theunarchiver.com/
  3. ↑ https://theunarchiver.com/
  4. ↑ https://manpages.ubuntu.com/manpages/jammy/man1/unrar-nonfree.1.html

About This Article

Nicole Levine, MFA
Written by:
Nicole Levine, MFA
wikiHow Technology Writer
This article was co-authored by wikiHow staff writer, Nicole Levine, MFA. Nicole Levine is a Technology Writer and Editor for wikiHow. She has more than 20 years of experience creating technical documentation and leading support teams at major web hosting and software companies. Nicole also holds an MFA in Creative Writing from Portland State University and teaches composition, fiction-writing, and zine-making at various institutions. This article has been viewed 72,164 times.
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Co-authors: 9
Updated: December 26, 2024
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