So you tried to open a .rar file you downloaded on the Internet, or received from a colleague/friend via email. Then you get a weird error on your Mac, because the file couldn’t be opened.
It’s really disappointing. I’ve been there many times, since I use my MacBook Pro to communicate with others who are probably on a PC. In fact, I also ran into the same problem when I switched from PC to Mac a few years ago.
StuffIt Expander® Mac free file extractor can be downloaded separately or as an included feature of StuffIt Deluxe®. Expander allows you to access StuffIt files, uncompress Zip archives, and decompress RAR files, TAR, GZIP, BZIP archives, and more. Easily extract contacts from iPhone backups and export to Mac Address Book or Contacts.app. With iBackup Viewer, you can also save contacts as vcards (.vcf) files on disk, which are very portable to share with friends and online mail systems like Gmail.
Download mi flash tool for mac. Luckily, I managed to fix it with an amazing app called The Unarchiver, the best RAR extractor app for Mac. Plus, it’s still free. Meanwhile, I also tested dozens of other applications on my Mac, and filtered those that are 100% free and easy to use and you can read more below.
NEW UPDATE
Hi there, Thanks for reading this article. It’s been two years since I first published this post. Things have changed a lot when it comes to unrar apps for Mac. I was hoping Apple macOS could add this feature to its built-in Archive Utility app, unfortunately, it seems that Apple macOS team doesn’t plan to do this. My MacBook Pro is now with the latest 10.13 High Sierra, and I have to rely on third-party apps to extract RAR files.
Mac Tools Stud Extractor
As for the best rar extractor app for Mac, the recommendation stays the same — The Unarchiver. It’s still free to download and use. However, it’s worth noting that the app has been acquired by MacPaw (the maker of CleanMyMac, an awesome Mac cleaning app) and is now part of the MacPaw family. You can read more from this press release.
Also, I just found a more powerful app called BetterZip 4 — which allows Mac users to not only extract many types of archives, but you can also use it to create archives or preview content of an archive without extracting. Those additional features are not available in The Unarchiver or Archive Utility. I recommend BetterZip to those of you who often need to handle a different kind of files on a PC and Mac. Note: BetterZip isn’t freeware ($24.95 for the paid version), but a free trial is offered. You can get BetterZip 4 from Setapp here.
What about the other apps listed below? I tried to check them now and then, just to make sure they’re usable and the information is accurate. But I find it so time-consuming because every year or so Apple releases a new version of macOS (to date, it’s High Sierra 10.13.2), those apps that fail to be updated often can’t run or malfunction. Therefore, I’d discourage you to check them out unless you are interested. That said, I’ll try my best to keep the content on this post as fresh as possible.
What is an RAR File?
RAR is a compressed file short for Roshal Archive; it’s a proprietary file format developed by Eugene Roshal, a genius software engineer. Simply put, a .rar file is like a big data container that holds a set of individual files and folders inside.
Why use RAR? Because it reduces the size of your files and folders while keeping all the content 100% intact. With a RAR, it’s much easier to store on removable media or transferred over the Internet.
According to this comparison image provided by Compression Ratings, RAR files achieve much higher compression, especially on multimedia files. They are also easier to split or to recover once corrupted than other alternatives like ZIP or 7Zip files.
How to Open an RAR Archive on Mac?
Unlike other archive files, for example, a ZIP archive can be directly created or extracted by using the default function on Mac (here’s a tutorial), a RAR file can only be opened using third-party software…which, unfortunately, Apple hasn’t built into the Archive Utility, yet.
That’s why there are plenty of third-party applications available on the Internet that claim to be able to do that. Some are dated, while some require you to pay.
Thanks to those smart, yet kind developers, we have quite a lot of free options to get the job done without taking a penny out of the pocket. I’ve tested many and here are the 10 best free apps that still work.
10 Free RAR Extractor Apps That Work on Mac
Note: Some of the apps below are open source, and the authors accept donations. If you find the one you use is really awesome, kindly show your appreciation. Hundreds of hours were spent to make that product work well.
1. The Unarchiver
The Unarchiver is my favorite. Like the name indicates, it unpacks almost any archive instantly without launching the app. The app is very powerful, even does what the built-in Archive Utility can’t — extracts RAR archives. It also supports handling filenames in foreign character sets.
2. B1 Free Archiever
Another great open source app, the B1 Free Archiver serves as an all-in-one program for managing file archives. As you can see from the screenshot above, this tool allows you to create, open and extract archives. It opens .rar, .zip, and 35 other file formats. Besides Mac, there are also versions for Windows, Linux, and Android.
3. UnRarX
UnRarX is a simple utility designed to expand .rar files and restore corrupted or missing archives with .par and .par2 files. It has an extraction function as well. To do this, simply open the program, drag your archive files into the interface, and UnRarX will unpack the content to the specified destination.
4. StuffIt Expander Mac
StuffIt Expander for Mac allows you to uncompress both Zip and RAR archives. I found the app very easy to use. Once the program is installed, you should see an icon (as shown on the top of the above screenshot). Click on it. Next select the file, specify the destination to store your extracted files, and you’re done.
Extractor Tool For Zip Files
5. MacPar deLuxe
Another great tool that can open RAR files, and do a lot beyond! Originally developed to recover missing or corrupted information by processing “par” and “par2” files, MacPAR deLuxe is able to unpack the data with its built-in unrar engine. If you are a Macintosh user who frequently downloads or uploads binary files, then most likely you’ll love this utility program. You can get it from its official site here.
6. iZip for Mac
iZip is another powerful yet effective tool built from the ground up for Mac users to compress/decompress, secure, and share files easily. It supports all kinds of archive formats including RAR, ZIP, ZIPX, TAR, and 7ZIP. To unzip a file, just drag and drop it into the software main interface. Another window will pop up with the extracted files. Super fast!
7. RAR Extractor Free
RAR Extractor Free is an app that specializes in extracting Rar, Zip, Tar, 7-zip, Gzip, Bzip2 files conveniently and safely. Once you download and launch the app, you’ll see a pop-up window that asks you to specify an “unarchive” location. To load your files, you’ll need to move to the top left and click “Open.”
8. SimplyRAR (Mac)
SimplyRAR is another awesome archiving app for Mac OS. As its name suggests, SimplyRAR is a simple to use program that makes archiving and unarchiving files a breeze. Open it by dropping the file into the application, choosing a compression method, and pulling the trigger. The downside of the app is that it will be difficult to get support from the developer, as it appears they’re no longer in business.
9. RAR Expander
RAR Expander (Mac) is a clean GUI utility for creating and expanding RAR archives. It supports single, multi-part or password-protected archives. It also features AppleScript support and includes example scripts to help you handle multiple archives at once.
10. Zipeg
Zipeg is also handy yet free. What I really like is its ability to preview an entire file before extracting it. It also supports password protected and multipart files. Diff tool for mac os. Note: To open the software, you’ll need to install the legacy Java SE 6 runtime (see this Apple support article).
What’s Your Favorite UnRAR Tool?
Does the recommended one help you extract or unzip your RAR files? Or do you find a better unarchiver app for Mac than the ones listed above? Let me know by leaving a quick comment below.
Everyone should keep a file compression and extraction tool installed. It’s one of those essential PC toolsNew PC? 15 Must-Have Windows Applications You Should Install FirstNew PC? 15 Must-Have Windows Applications You Should Install FirstGot a new computer or just reinstalled Windows? These essential apps are must-have software for Windows 10, no matter what!Read More. Windows includes basic functionality to zip and unzip files, but it’s extremely limited.
Here are three of our favorite tools for dealing with compressed files.
1. 7-Zip
7-Zip is a no-frills, powerful compression utility. It’s a household name of open-source software, works on every version of Windows since 2000, and it’s completely free for home or business use with no registration required. It’s available in 32-bit and 64-bit flavors, and clocks in at a tiny 1 MB, making it a lightweight application. If you prefer, you can also use 7-Zip as a portable application. Either way, it installs in seconds.
When it’s time to work with compressed files, you can open 7-Zip on its own and browse out to a directory, or just use its File Explorer integration. Right-clicking on a file lets you access the 7-Zip menu, which can extract files, zip them up, or view what’s inside with just one click.
7-Zip supports a load of formatsHow to Extract Files From ZIP, RAR, 7z and Other Common ArchivesHow to Extract Files From ZIP, RAR, 7z and Other Common ArchivesWere you ever faced with a .rar file and wondered how to open it? Fortunately, managing ZIP files and other compressed archives is simple with the right tools. Here is what you need to know.Read More, including 7z, XZ, BZIP2, GZIP, TAR, ZIP and WIM. The 7z format provides a high compression ratio for large files, and geeks will love the app’s command line integration.
On the negative side, 7-Zip’s interface is pretty ugly; it also makes the icons for compressed files look ancient. To remedy this, our friends at How-To Geek have shown how to customize 7-Zip to make it look far better.
Overall, 7-Zip is great if you want a solid tool for any compressed files thrown your way and don’t mind Spartan presentation.
Best Extractor Tool For Broken Bolt
Download:7-Zip
2. PeaZip
While 7-Zip is a classic favorite, PeaZip might be the best option for most users. It’s not as slim as 7-Zip, but PeaZip uses its extra size wisely on user-friendliness and attractive aesthetics. Novice users can install it quickly with default options, but those who want to tweak its behavior have plenty to change during the installation and in the menus.
PeaZip features a clean interface and an easy-to-use file browser in the program itself, giving it a leg up on 7-Zip. Language is also much friendlier than the cold technicality of 7-Zip, letting the user pick between “best compression” and “no extraction software needed by the user” instead of confusing file formats and the like.
Additionally, PeaZip can convert compressed archives to other formats, and repair damaged files. It also uses easy-to-understand shortcuts in the right-click menu when you’re browsing the File Explorer, and you won’t find any ugly icons here. It, too, is open-source and available in a portable version.
PeaZip is an attractive tool that’s great for beginners and advanced users alike, and we’d recommend it to anyone who doesn’t know which archiving tool to try.
Download:PeaZip
3. Zipware
For those who prefer to keep everything simple, Zipware is a great choice. Aside from (optionally) choosing which formats you’d like to associate with the program at installation, you can start using the software without any setup. Its large buttons are easy to understand and present the majority of functions the average user needs in one bar.
Zipware includes the standard right-click shortcuts, and allows you to drag and drop zipped files into its main window if you prefer. One nice touch is the program’s ability to upload files to VirusTotal to check them for infection without even leaving your desktop.
Overall, Zipware isn’t the most powerful compression tool available, but it offers a great feature set at an impressive speed. We’d recommend it to anyone who didn’t appreciate the advanced offerings of 7-Zip or PeaZip.
Download:Zipware
A Note on Paid Tools
You’ll notice that each of these three programs are totally free. There’s a reason for that — while plenty of software is worth paying for, compression utilities aren’t one of them. Any of the three above tools will take care of 99% of people’s compression needs.
Paying $35 for WinZip for $29 for WinRAR is a complete waste of money that you can put towards better purchases. Those tools might offer a wealth of options, but the average person won’t use them.
What’s Your Go-To Archiving Software?
We’ve touched on just a few of the many file compression tools for Windows. Plenty of alternative programs offer a stronger feature set or compatibility with more formats, but we like the above three tools for their ubiquity, balanced feature sets, and ease of use. If you work with zipped files all the time, you might require advanced software, but most folks will have a fine time with any of these three tools.
Not sure what this compression talk is all about? Check out how file compression worksHow Does File Compression Work?How Does File Compression Work?How does file compression work? Learn the basics of file compression and the difference between lossy versus lossless compression.Read More.
Did we miss your favorite archiving software in the above list? Let us know which tool you can’t live without by leaving a comment!
https://communicationgol341.netlify.app/norton-remove-and-reinstall-tool-for-mac.html. Just tap the 'sticker' icon in a chat and then tap the 'GIF' icon at the bottom.
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You missed ZIPmagic.
Extremely affordable, and the only one in the roundup to include transparent disk compression!
WinRAR is required if you want to CREATE RAR, many other free or paid programs offer extraction but never creation.
7-Zip's 7Z format is open - several other programs can compress to it, and is a pretty decent option for 'better than ZIP' compression. To be precise, 7Z is actually a container format which can be used for a number of compression methods - default and usually best, is LZMA2, but LZMA (compression might be better, but weaker multithreading), PPMd (good for text, and probably other files of mostly text structure) and BZIP2 (also text optimised) are available, as are some additional transform options that can assist in specific cases - there is an option to auto-analyse for the transform options. There are also advanced tweaking options that trade speed for extra compression - even for standard compatible ZIP
PS. Having picked up a freebie (I think it was via BDJ), I quite like Powerarchiver 2016, though it needs some tweaking to disable 'patchbeam' otherwise it tries to update and blows away the freebie licence - I had a previous giveaway and lost it!
Are any of these compatible with windows 10
Ben, there's no such word as 'softwares' - Firefox even underlines it as a typo for me. Like 'sheep' or 'deer,' 'software' is its own plural.
I'd take Bandizip over any of these.