How to Open a Rar File on Windows

Open RAR files using your Windows computer.

Short for Roshal Archive, RAR is an archive file format. Similar to the widely used ZIP format, RAR archives allow users to combine multiple files into a single file. In combining files and reducing their file size through a compression process, RAR archives let users more efficiently transfer content between computers over a network. Once you download and install a compatible application, opening RAR files on your Windows computer becomes a quick task.

Instructions

Use an application on your computer

1. Open a Web browser window and navigate to the website for WinRAR, 7-Zip or WinZip (see "Resources" section for link).

2. Click the link labeled "Download." Locate the version designed for your operating system and save the installer file to your computer.

3. Double-click the installer file you downloaded in the previous step. Confirm your desire to run the program if prompted by Windows.

4. Follow the on-screen instructions to install the selected archiving application on your computer.

5. Double-click the icon of the RAR file you want to open. The file opens using the program you installed in the previous step. Alternately, you can open the newly installed archiving program, click "File" in the top menu bar, select "Open" or "Open Archive," and then double-click the icon of the RAR file to open it in the program.

References

• RARLAB: What is a RAR file?
• Anobyte: WinRAR screen image
• BrotherSoft: WinZip screen image

Resources

• RARLAB: Downloads
• 7-Zip: Download
• WinZip: Download WinZip