How to open RAR file? The most detailed instruction! Three leading programs for opening RAR archives How to open rar windows 7.
Archives created by the WinRAR program have long been widely used among users, however, built-in Windows tools they don't open. For this purpose, specialized applications will be required.
Below is a guide with detailed description steps on how to open a RAR archive file on a Windows 7 computer. It should be noted that the following instructions will effectively help you cope with this task in other modifications of Windows.
What is this file?
It has a ".rar" extension and in Windows 7 Explorer has a book packaging icon.
It stores files and directories compressed with a utility called "WinRar" in a compressed state. As a result, archived materials take up less disk space, and the chances of files being corrupted by malware are also greatly reduced.
WinRAR Application
This utility will ideally provide the convenience of working with the format in question, since it is with the use of it that they are created.
The main disadvantage of the utility is the lack of it. free versions, there is only a demo modification, for which you still need to pay after 40 days of use (otherwise the application is blocked).
This is where the cons end. The functionality of this archiver will please even the most demanding user.
The main advantages of the utility include the following:
- It has the functionality of repairing damaged archive files;
- It has the ability to create packed files of a significant size (up to 8 Gb);
- A convenient procedure for effectively protecting archives, for example, dividing it into parts and setting an access code.
To install the application, go to www.rarlab.com, where it is available official version. Further, after installing it on the computer, open the “.rar” file by simply double-clicking on it.
This will launch the utility window, in which all packaged materials will be available for viewing and editing. There is an "Extract" button in the toolbar, after clicking on it, the archived directories and files will be extracted.
If the user prefers free way unpacking, then below is an effective program that will also allow you to quickly cope with the task.
"7-Zip"
This application unpacks not only "RAR", but also a huge number of archives with other extensions, such as ZIP, XAR, ARJ, UDF, TAR, CHM, NSIS, CPIO, GZ, RPM, CAB, LZH, TB2, DMG, MSI, HFS, LZMA, 7z, ISO, DEB, WIM and Z. It is recommended to install the utility with official resource www.7-zip.org.
Main advantages:
- Outwardly, it is as close as possible to WinRAR (it has an intuitive interface;
- It has the ability to create archives with its own extension ".7z", which in some respects surpasses ".zip";
- High speed of work;
- Completely Russified.
To open "RAR" you need to perform just a few steps;
On Windows 7. It should be noted that most of the programs that can help with this can also work on other versions of the operating system from Microsoft.
Definition
Before proceeding to a direct solution to the question of how to open a RAR file on Windows 7, it should be said what is given format. Its name is an abbreviation of Eugene Roshal - the name of the developer. This man created given type archives. RAR is highly capable of allowing you to set a password on compressed data and split large materials into small pieces of a fixed size. There is a separate category of programs that do not have their own interface, while integrating their functions into the Windows OS menu. Next, we will describe a number of programs that support working with the file type of interest to us.
WinRAR
One of the most functional archivers. If you are wondering how to open a RAR file on Windows 7, use this application because it is convenient and easy to use. The program is built into the menu and has extensive settings. Unpacking the archive is possible without entering the application. You can extract materials to the current directory or a folder of the same name.
Universal Extractor
If you want to decide whether RAR or another archive, this program will help you. Application on this moment is under development, but quickly proved to be very useful. This solution can be used both as the main one and as an addition to more well-known tools.
Other applications
Next, we will look at a few more programs with which you can figure out how to open a RAR or ZIP file. The first one is called ExtractNow. The application exclusively unpacks archives. You can work with multiple files at the same time. simple and intuitive. The application has a detailed registry of all extraction processes. Implemented search system.
If you are faced with the question of how to open a RAR file on Windows 7, please contact the PeaZip program for help. You will be able to unpack, edit, save and restore archives. Archiving acceleration is also available. You will receive a full report on the operation of the program after each operation. The interface can be changed at will, transparency is available. PeaZip knows how to work portable. In the Windows version, the tool's capabilities are integrated directly into Explorer. Work available through command line.
Another program that supports the RAR format and other archive standards is called J7Z. This is a simple and powerful application for Windows OS. You can quickly update an existing archive. Creation available backups. Supports work with encrypted materials. Special profiles will help improve the efficiency of working with archives.
Also, an application called PowerArchiver will help us in solving the task. We are talking about a powerful archiver, which received a built-in browser. The application has hundreds of features, while maintaining speed, ease of use and minimal size. The interface is simple and intuitive. A tutorial is included. The application has a built-in tool for viewing text and graphic files. you can change appearance programs using special add-ons. You can move files from the application and back using the classic and explorer options for viewing the contents of the archive. Application tools are integrated into the Windows operating system, providing quick access to key features. Archives can be converted from one format to another. The application will try to recover damaged ZIP materials. Supports work with several archives simultaneously.
The last program that we will consider today, which provides work with the format we need, is called RarZilla Free Unrar. A simple application for extracting archives. The program is integrated into the system menu. With just a few mouse clicks, you can extract all the files from the archive. The path for storing the received materials and the password are set in the settings. Now you know how to open ZIP and RAR, as well as other archives in the Windows operating system.
How and with what to open a .rar file?
Despite the fact that the .rar format has long become an integral part of Windows, Linux and many other operating systems, including MacOS and Android, for many, automatic opening of the archive by double-clicking the mouse does not work.
Archives in Windows
By Windows default opens only 7zip archives, and opening .rar requires downloading an additional distribution.
WinRAR
This is the main application for working with .rar. Of all popular programs only this one can create archives on Windows, while the rest of the software can only open them.
If WinRAR is installed on the computer, then in order to create an archive file, just right-click on the desktop to display a menu prompting you to create a "WinRAR Archive".
And to open .rar, you just need to click on this file and it will be automatically opened in WinRAR, if this program, again, is installed on your computer. It also allows you to extract files from an archive. To do this, there is an "Extract" button on the top panel.
The features of WinRAR are:
- you can create an archive no larger than 8 GB;
- you can add a password, e-mail to the archive, split it into parts, block and
- perform many other manipulations;
- it is possible to fix archives that have been corrupted.
7-Zip
This program perfectly copes with the tasks of opening and unpacking archives in .rar format.
In addition to this format, it works with a huge number of other files - tar, gz, tb2, wim, 7z, but its main format is zip.
It is important to note that with 7-Zip and WinRAR installed, the user has the opportunity to create an archive in the 7-Zip interface, but WinRAR is still used.
Other features of 7-Zip:
- very high recording and unpacking speed;
- have your own own format 7z, which, according to experts, is better than zip;
- the interface is very similar to WinRAR.
TUGZip
This program is not particularly known to many modern users. But it has a lot of "nice" features.
Among them are the following:
- there is an editor for self-extracting archives;
- the program supports multi-archive arrays;
- classic interface for archivers;
- automatic data integrity check.
TUGZip also supports a huge number of formats, even more than 7-Zip.
IZArc
The main feature of IZArc is that it works not only with archives, but also with disk images, that is, with files in iso, mdf, and so on.
Features of IZArc:
- the ability to convert archives to disk images and vice versa;
- more reliable methods encryption than previous programs (including AES);
- support for multi-volume and self-extracting archives.
All in all, IZArc is a very good, reliable and free tool for opening .rar files.
free arc
FreeArc is a completely free archiver with open source. Work with large quantity filters and compression algorithms - only 11 pieces. Judging by the performance tests, FreeArc is at least 2 times faster than any other modern archiver. Its great advantage is the ability to connect to Total Commander and FAR. Its other features are:
- it is possible to restore archives;
- automatic sorting by size, creation date or other parameters;
- ample opportunities for customization;
- automatic checking of the archive for integrity after recording.
PeaZip
Another free archiver, which is also a graphical shell for other archivers. It has its own unique archive format, .pea. Supports a huge number of formats, including 7z, tar, gzip, xz, ace, chm and many more. It also has its own testing algorithm.
Hamster Free ZIP Archiver
An interesting product from Hamster Studio. It has a very non-standard interface and support a large number archive formats (12 pieces) and files in general.
Has a set of special functions for working with email and disk images. Also supports Drag-n-Drop technology. Allows not only to open, but also to create archives.
Archives in Linux (Ubuntu)
Often in Linux distributions there is already a software package specifically designed to open the .rar archive. This is a set free editors archives, without the usual graphical interface.
You can activate them through the command line by typing:
sudo apt-get install unrar p7zip-rar
Now in the file manager, when you right-click on a rar archive and select the "Unpack here" item, the rar archive will be unpacked. You can also use unrar x [archive name] to unpack.
Often, if the archive was created in Windows, when you try to open it in Ubuntu, the encoding in the file names gets lost (it is believed that this is typical of the unrar-free and rar commands).
This editor does not allow you to view anything before unpacking, convert, and generally perform various operations without a terminal.
p7zip - this is exactly the same 7-Zip, only for Linux. p7zip has a full-fledged interface, classic for archivers. Developers are ideologists software open source, so all programs are free.
Here is one unverified advice from the forum: use the 7zip program for Windows in Ubuntu.
Opening an archive in MacOS
For this operating system, there are also versions of UnRarX, 7zX and paid utility RAR, which, in our opinion, is extremely inconvenient to use. All these are analogues of the above programs for other operating systems, and they work almost the same - with their own features of work, depending on the OS.
We would advise Apple users to use the UnRarX utility for MAC OS. Here she has a full GUI and is much more understandable to the average user. There is another interesting archiver called keka - a clone of p7zip and, accordingly, 7-Zip, with minor differences.
RAR in Android and iOS
On mobile platforms, archives, including those with the .rar extension, can be opened by almost everything file managers. True, you need to install WinRAR along with them.
In most cases, all this is already installed on the phone and tablet at the moment when these devices fall into the hands of the user.
Accordingly, on a phone or tablet, you can also open, create or unpack an archive, and in some file managers all this happens as if the user were opening a regular folder.
So, if you have difficulty opening an archive on your phone, use one of the popular file managers for Android and iOS.
Programs to open .rar on Android:
ES File Explorer
One of the most popular file managers, which has perhaps the widest functionality of all - it can give root rights, monitor memory usage and much more.
Total Commander
This file manager can somewhere 10 times more than ES File Explorer, but these features are available only to those who could understand its complex interface.
Amaze File Manager
Attracts many users with its google-like interface. Doesn't freeze.
.FX File Explorer
A file manager that works well in dual-window mode.
Programs for working with archives on iOS:
Documents 5 .
Provides many options for searching and working with files - moving, copying, adding to the archive and much more.
FileBrowser.
Perfectly copes with the task of connecting to a remote device.
USB DiskPro.
This file manager has many features for "advanced" users and file previews.
file manager.
The best option for those who use cloud storage.
Below you can clearly see how the .rar file is opened in Windows using WinRAR.
Archives have long been used in computers to combine and compress stored information. Archives can have different extensions, it depends on the program that created the archive and its settings. One of the most popular archive extensions is RAR.
RAR is an archive format that first appeared back in 1993. Created it Russian developer Eugene Roshal. To date, this popular archive is able to unpack almost all current archiver programs. WinRAR was and remains the only application capable of archiving files that will have a .rar extension.
Archives with this extension are traditionally used for file compression. So for example, they are much faster and more convenient to send. The only difficulty is that such a file must first be unzipped and returned to its original state. This requires special programs.
What is in .rar files
This is an archive, which means that any files can be inside it. Images, music, program and game files, and any other data can be archived for easier and faster transfer.
Users are concerned about the issue of opening archives with this extension. There is nothing complicated in this for a long time. Let's analyze this process using the example of two popular programs.
How to open RAR archive
Method 1
Since such archives are created by the well-known WinRAR application, then we will open it with this particular program. It has long established itself as a good, stable program with simple interface who does quality work. So, to open a file you need:
On a note! The program is paid, after its installation a trial period is activated, which lasts 40 days. But after its completion, the program can also be used in full. Periodically, a window will appear in which you will be prompted to purchase this program. If you find the program useful, you can buy it full version. Then this reminder will disappear.
Method 2
In the second method, we will use a similar program that was created for archiving files. It is no less popular than the previous one. This program is 7 Zip.
Read new information from the right way extracts in the article -
Ways to unpack RAR on devices with Android or IOS operating system
The owners of phones and tablets are no less worried about the problem of extracting RAR files. Fortunately, this is no more difficult to do than on a regular computer.
Method 1. Using the ES manager program
Unpack files on devices with operating system Android is possible with the help of many explorer applications. Consider this process using the example of one of the most famous representatives of programs for this purpose:
- Download the application from the "PlayMarket" or "AppStore" if it is not already installed on your device.
- We open it and find the file we need using this application.
- A list will appear in which we will be interested in the line "Unpack".
- Select the unpacking location and click OK.
Method 2. Using the WinRAR program for Android or IOS
WinRAR is also introduced to the market mobile devices. It can similarly quickly and easily extract RAR archives on phones or tablet computers. For this you need:
- Download the app from the "Store" you usually use to download apps.
- We find our file in the application. Click on it, a checkmark will appear on the right.
- We set the necessary parameters, first of all, the place to unpack the archive. Click "OK".
- We get unpacked files.
Video - How to unpack zip and rar on Android
Using archivers
Archivers can be used for more than just unpacking files. You can create archives yourself from the files you want to send. In addition, it is convenient to archive information that is stored on your hard drive, but you do not use it. A very convenient way to save space.
Creating a RAR archive
Create an archive with this extension under the force of the above mentioned WinRAR program. Please note that no other programs are able to create an archive with the RAR extension. Competitors use other methods and, accordingly, extensions. For example, .Zip. To create an archive we need:
- Find the files we want to add to the archive.
- Select them and right-click.
- A list will appear. Select "Add to archive" in it.
- A window will appear in which we must set the necessary parameters, change the name of the archive.
- A progress window will appear, nothing is required of you. Just wait for completion.
So, we found out that unpacking files on any device is quite simple, the main thing is to post good and convenient software.
Video - How to open a RAR file and how to zip a file?
RAR is a highly compressed archive format. Let's find out what are the ways to unzip this type of files.
You can view the contents and unpack RAR archives using archiving programs, as well as some file managers.
Method 1: WinRAR
Of course, you should start with the WinRAR utility. Its peculiarity lies in the fact that it was created by the same developer (Eugene Roshal) who created the RAR format. Just the primary task of this application is the creation, processing and unzipping of the specified format. Let's see how it's done.
There is also an option to open directly from the WinRAR interface.
- We start WinRAR. In the menu, click on the inscription "File". A list of actions opens. Choose an inscription "Open archive". Also, the above actions can be replaced by pressing the key combination Ctrl+O.
- The search window is launched. Using the navigation tools in it, go to that directory hard drive, where the desired RAR archive is located. Select the name and click on the button "Open".
- After that, the WinRAR window will display the elements that are contained in the archive. If the user wants to simply run a specific file without unpacking the archive, it is enough to double-click on it with the left mouse button.
- The object will open in the program it is associated with by default, but the archive itself will not be unpacked.
- If you want to work with files without the need to use WinRAR or similar applications in the future, then in this case you need to perform the extraction procedure.
When the user wants to extract an item from the archive to the same folder where it is located, right-click on it. Then select the menu item "Extract without confirmation" or use hotkey combination Alt+W.
If the user wants to unpack all the contents of the archive into the directory where it is located, then for this it is necessary to select not a specific file, but an icon to go to a higher level in the form open folder with two dots next to it. After that, activate the context menu and click on the inscription "Extract without confirmation" or use pressing Alt+W.
In the first case, the selected element will be extracted to the same folder where the archive is located, and in the second case, the entire contents of the RAR object will be extracted.
But often you need to extract not to the current folder, but to another directory on the hard drive. In this case, the procedure will be slightly different.
Like last time, if you want to unpack one element, then select it, activate the context menu by clicking the right mouse button, and mark the item in it "Extract to specified folder".
You can also replace this action with a set of keys Alt+E or by pressing the button "Extract" on the WinRAR toolbar after selecting the name.
If necessary, extract all the contents to the selected directory, by analogy with extracting without confirmation, select the icon to go to the next level, and then to context menu click on the caption "Extract to specified folder".
You can also use a keyboard shortcut Alt+E or pressing a button "Extract" on the toolbar.
- After the specified actions to extract an element or all content to a specified folder, a window opens in which you should configure the path and extraction parameters. On the left side of the tab "General" the main settings are located, by switching which you can adjust the update mode, overwrite mode and other parameters. But most users prefer to leave these settings unchanged. In the right part of the program interface there is an area in which you should specify where exactly the objects will be unpacked. After the settings are made and the folder is selected, click on the button OK.
- After doing last action the procedure for unpacking the selected content into the specified folder is performed directly.
Method 2: 7-Zip
You can open RAR content using another popular archiver - 7-Zip. Although, unlike WinRAR, this application cannot create RAR archives, but it unpacks them without problems.
- Launch the 7-Zip application. In the central part is a file manager with which you can navigate the hard drive. In order to view the contents of RAR, use the specified file manager to go to the directory where the desired object with the specified extension is located. Just double-click on it with the left mouse button.
Instead, after selection, you can click on the key Enter on the keyboard or go through horizontal menu to paragraph "File" and select a position from the drop-down list "Open".
- After that, all the elements contained in the archive will appear before the user through the 7-Zip interface.
- To extract desired file select it and click on the button "Extract" as a minus sign on the toolbar.
- Then a window called "Copy". If you want to extract to the same directory where the RAR file itself is located, then just click on the button OK without changing any other settings.
If you need to specify a different folder, then before unpacking, click on the button in the form of an ellipsis to the right of the address field.
- The folder browser window opens. In the central area, go to the directory in which you want to unpack. Click on OK.
- Returns to the window automatically "Copy". As you can see, in the address field of the directory intended for storing unzipped objects, the path that was selected in the folder browser window is indicated. Now you just need to click on OK.
- After that, the selected object is unpacked to the specified directory.
Now let's see how to unpack all the contents.
Method 3: Hamster Free ZIP Archiver
Another popular archiver that can work with the RAR format is Hamster Free ZIP Archiver. AT this application the approach to unpacking is significantly different from the actions that we described in the previous methods. Let's see how to perform the indicated procedure with the Hamster program.
- We launch the application. Mode switch on the left vertical menu must be in position "Open". However, it is in this position by default.
- After that we open Windows Explorer and go to the directory where the RAR file we need is located. We allocate given object and, holding the left mouse button, drag it from Explorer to the center area of the Hamster application window.
- As soon as the object enters the Hamster window, it is transformed, splitting into two parts: "Open archive..." and "Unpack nearby...". In the first case, the object will be opened in a window and ready for further processing, and in the second case, the contents will be instantly unpacked in the same directory where the archived object is located.
Let's first see how to proceed when choosing the first option.
- So, after moving the object into the area "Open archive..." the Hamster window will display all of its content.
You can add an element for processing in a more traditional way. After launching the Hamster application, left-click on the central area where there is an inscription Open Archive.
Then the opening window is launched. In it, you need to go to the directory where the RAR object is located, select it and click on the button "Open". After that, the entire contents of the object will be presented in the program window in the same way as we saw it above when opening by dragging.
- If you want to unzip all the contents, then in this case, click on the button "Unpack All".
- A window opens in which you need to specify the path to extract. Using the navigation tools, we go to the PC folder in which we want the extracted content to be stored. Then click on the button "Select Folder".
- The contents will be extracted to the selected directory in a folder whose name will be identical to the name of the archive.
What to do if the user does not need to extract all the content, but only a single element?
Now back to what happens if, when moving a file from Explorer add it to area "Unpack nearby...".
Method 4: File Managers
In addition to archivers, some file managers support working with RAR objects. Let's see how this is done using the example of the most popular of them - Total Commander.
If you need to extract the object to the specified location, then do as follows.
And now let's see how to unpack all the contents completely.
Of course, not all archivers and file managers are listed above that allow you to view and extract the contents of files with the RAR extension. Nevertheless, we have tried to focus on the most popular of these programs, the probability of which the user has a fairly high probability.
