How to open RAR files on Windows 11 in 2024

Every every so often, a consumer might come throughout a file format that they’re undecided how to open. With a whole lot of file codecs on the market, it’s no shock that that’s the case. The RAR format is one such instance that customers are inclined to have bother with. 

Fortunately, there are a couple of methods to open RAR information on Windows 11. In this information, we make clear what RAR information are, how to open them, and reply a couple of generally requested queries about the identical.  

What is a RAR file?

In easy phrases, RAR is a compressed archive file format, very similar to ZIP information that maintain different information and folders inside it. Because it’s a compressed format, a RAR file takes up much less house than the information/folders it accommodates and has a a lot greater compression charge than its zip format counterpart. Besides saving space for storing, a RAR file may also be encrypted with password safety. 

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How to open RAR information natively on Windows

Windows now allows you to open RAR information (together with a wide range of different archive codecs), in the identical approach that one extracts a ZIP file. Here’s how to go about it:

1. Select the file and click on on Extract all within the toolbar.
    
2. Alternatively, right-click the file and choose Extract All…
   
   
3. Select the folder the place you wish to extract the information, then click on on Extract.
   
4. The extracted information will open of their folder location.
   

Note: You can double-click the RAR file to take a look at its content material. However, to work together with the information, you’ll invariably need to extract them first. 

How to open RAR information on Windows 11 using third get together apps

Now, let’s check out how one can open RAR information on Windows 11. Using third-party functions is the most well-liked approach of opening RAR information on Windows 11. But since there are dozens of such functions, it might appear exhausting to separate the wheat from the chaff. To make issues simpler, we now have listed the three most used functions to open RAR information. Here they’re:

Method 1: How to make use of WinZip to open RAR information

The next software that you should utilize to open RAR information on Windows 11 is WinZip. The primary con with WinZip is that you should utilize its free trial for 21 days solely. After which you’ll have to buy it for $8.

Still, if you wish to use it, firstly, navigate to the next hyperlink to obtain WinZip.

Download: WinZip

1. Click on Download WinZip now.
   
2. Once downloaded, run the setup. Then click on on Next.
   
3. Click on Agree on the subsequent two windows.
   
4. Wait for the set up course of to recover from.
   
5. Once achieved, click on on Finish.
   
6. Now, open File Explorer and navigate to the RAR file that you simply wish to run. Right-click on it and hover over Winzip, then Winzip once more, after which choose Unzip to folder (folder path).
   
7. This will create a brand new folder that has the identical title because the RAR file and extract the information inside it. When prompted, click on on Use Evaluation model.
   
8. Your information will now be extracted inside a folder with the identical title and folder location because the RAR file.
   

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Method 2: How to make use of 7zip to open RAR information

Out of all of the three functions talked about right here, 7zip is maybe one of the best archiving software. It is totally open-source and free, helps a wide range of archive file codecs, has excessive compression charges, and has dozens of further options. 

Here is how you should utilize 7zip to run RAR information. Firstly, comply with the hyperlink under to obtain 7zip. 

Download: 7zip

1. Click on the Download hyperlink next to  64-bit Windows x64 (first hyperlink).
   
2. Once downloaded, run the setup file to start the set up. Click on Install.
   
3. Once full, click on on Close.
   
4. Now, navigate to the RAR file that you simply wish to run. Right-click on it and choose Show more choices.
   
5. Then hover over 7-zip and choose Extract to “RAR file title“.
   
6. This will create a brand new folder that has the identical title because the RAR file (and in the identical location) and extract the information inside it. Compared to the opposite extract choices, this ensures that the information are neatly organized inside a separate folder. 

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Method 3: How to make use of WinRAR to open RAR information

WinRAR is the primary software program you must use to open RAR information, not least as a result of it’s the solely software that’s used to create them. Furthermore, it’s free to obtain and can be utilized indefinitely. 

Download: WinRAR

1. To start with, comply with the hyperlink under to obtain WinRAR.
   
2. Once downloaded, run the setup file and click on on Install.
   
3. Click OK.
   
4. Once put in, the RAR information will likely be set to open with WinRAR by default. So all you need to do is double-click on the RAR file that you simply wish to run.
   
5. This will open the WinRAR window. Click on Extract to within the toolbar above.
   
6. From the placement house on the suitable, it is possible for you to to pick the place you wish to save the extracted information, and the chosen vacation spot path will likely be displayed on prime.
   
7. All the information will likely be extracted inside this folder. So if you wish to keep your information organized and don’t wish to have them combined up with different information, it’s higher to create a brand new folder. To accomplish that, click on on New folder.
   
8. The newly created folder could have the identical title because the RAR file. But you possibly can change it if you want.
   
9. Then click on OK to extract the information.
   
10. Once the extraction course of finishes, navigate to the placement the place you saved the information to entry them. 

How to open RAR information using an internet device (web site)

Apart from third-party functions, there are additionally a bunch of on-line archive extractors that may do the job. A easy google search will yield a wide range of choices to choose from. But if you need a advice, the xconvert.com web site is an effective choice. 

Xconvert principally converts the RAR file right into a downloadable zip file which might then be extracted using File Explorer itself. You even have the choice of downloading the information individually. Here’s how to go in regards to the course of:

1. Visit Xconvert.com and click on on Add Files.
   
2. Navigate to the RAR file that you simply run, choose it, and click on on Open.
   
3. Once the file is uploaded, click on on Extract.
   
4. When the file extraction course of is full, it is possible for you to to see the information inside the RAR file by clicking on Show Downloads.
   
5. To obtain a selected file, click on on the Download button next to it.
   
6. Alternatively, to obtain all information, click on on Save all as ZIP.
   
7. Your information will now be zipped and downloaded within the default “Downloads” folder. The ultimate step is to easily extract this file using the built-in Windows file extractor. To accomplish that, press Win+E to open File Explorer. Then click on on the Downloads folder within the facet pane.
   
8. Find the downloaded zip file and double-click on it. Or, click on on the Extract all button within the toolbar above.
   
9. This will open up the “Extract Compressed Folders” window. Click on Browse to vary the placement the place the information will likely be extracted.
   
10. Choose your location and click on on Select Folder.
    
11. Then click on on Extract.
    
12. Once the extraction course of finishes, the folder the place the information are extracted will open mechanically. 

FAQs

In this part, we check out a few of the widespread queries about working RAR information on Windows 11 and reply the identical.

Can Windows Explorer open a RAR file?

Yes, Windows can natively open RAR information. 

How to open a RAR file in Windows 11 with out software program

If you don’t wish to use any further software program to open RAR information on Windows, you should utilize the File Explorer context menu and use the ‘Extract files’ choice to extract the information. There are additionally on-line file extractors that you should utilize. But as there are a selection of them out there on-line, equivalent to Xconvert, extract.me, and unRAR.on-line, and so forth., one is de facto spoilt for selections. So go forward and use any one in every of them to run RAR information, extract and obtain them. When you’re using these on-line RAR extractors, and downloading the information in bulk, the information will likely be archived as a single zip file which might later be extracted through the use of Windows’ extraction wizard. To see the precise steps, check with the previous few steps within the “using online archive extractors” part.

Why can’t I open RAR information on my PC?

If you’re not in a position to open RAR information in your PC, it may very well be as a result of one in every of two attainable causes. Firstly, it’s a risk that the file in query is corrupt or malware-infested. To examine if that’s the case, right-click on the file, go to Properties, and examine its measurement. If it’s 0 bytes large, it’s attainable that it’s corrupted. You are additionally suggested to run a virus scan for a similar. The different purpose why you’re not in a position to run RAR information may very well be that you simply don’t have any software that may accomplish that. To examine which functions can be utilized to run RAR information, check with the information above.

So these had been a few of the methods that you could open RAR information on Windows 11. Although Windows now helps RAR information natively, there are a lot of third get together functions that can be utilized for this objective too. Of these, 7-zip is essentially the most dependable software and can be utilized free of charge indefinitely. But if you happen to don’t wish to set up a further software, on-line archive extractors are only a Google search away.