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Document Format

RAR

Roshal Archive

RAR (Roshal Archive) is a proprietary archive format created by Eugene Roshal in 1993 — the most popular alternative to ZIP for compressed archives. RAR offers better compression ratios than ZIP, multi-volume archives, built-in error recovery, and AES-256 encryption. It's widely used for distributing large collections of files, game archives, software, and media. RAR files are ubiquitous on file-sharing platforms and Windows software distribution, though the format is proprietary (unlike ZIP).

What is RAR?

RAR archives store one or more files in a compressed container using the proprietary RAR compression algorithm. The format supports compression levels from no compression (store) to best (maximum compression), solid archives (compressing all files together for better ratios on similar files), multi-volume splitting (splitting large archives across multiple files), AES-256 encryption with password protection, recovery records (embedded error-correction data for damaged archives), and BLAKE2 checksums for integrity verification. RAR4 (older) and RAR5 (current) are the two main versions, with RAR5 offering better encryption and modern features. The compression algorithm is not open-source.

RAR pros and cons

Advantages

  • Better compression than ZIP — typically 8–15% smaller on mixed content
  • Solid archives compress similar files even more efficiently
  • Built-in recovery records — archives can be repaired if partially damaged
  • Multi-volume archives — split large archives across multiple files
  • AES-256 encryption with password protection
  • Widely supported — WinRAR, 7-Zip, and built-in OS tools open RAR

Limitations

  • Proprietary format — creation requires WinRAR (paid after trial) or official rarlib
  • No native creation on macOS or Linux without third-party tools
  • Slower to create than ZIP due to more complex compression
  • Less universal than ZIP — some tools don't handle RAR
  • Proprietary algorithm prevents fully open implementations
  • Large files from file-sharing may contain malware — verify sources

When should you convert RAR files?

Convert RAR to ZIP when sharing with users who may not have RAR-capable software — ZIP is built into all modern operating systems. Convert RAR to 7Z for better compression and a fully open format. Extract RAR to folder and re-compress as ZIP: 7-Zip can do this in one step (right-click → 7-Zip → Convert). For new archives you're creating, prefer ZIP (universal) or 7Z (better compression, open) over RAR unless you specifically need RAR's recovery records or solid archive features.

All FormatDrop conversions run entirely in your browser — no file upload, no server processing. Your files stay on your device.

RAR FAQ

How do I open a RAR file?
Windows: 7-Zip (free, open-source) opens RAR files — right-click → 7-Zip → Extract Here. WinRAR opens RAR natively on Windows. macOS: The Unarchiver (free, App Store) opens RAR files. Keka is another good macOS option. Linux: `unrar x archive.rar` (install unrar package) or `7z x archive.rar` (install p7zip). Most file managers on Linux support RAR via the p7zip-rar package.
Is RAR better than ZIP?
RAR compresses better than ZIP (especially for many similar files using solid archives), supports recovery records, and handles multi-volume archives more gracefully. ZIP is universally supported without extra software on all platforms. For personal archiving or file transfer to mixed audiences: ZIP. For maximum compression, recovery capability, or file-sharing: RAR or 7Z (which beats both).
Can I create RAR files for free?
Creating RAR files requires WinRAR (which has a free trial but is technically paid) or the command-line `rar` tool from RARLAB (the RAR creators). Extracting RAR files is free with 7-Zip, The Unarchiver, or the free `unrar` utility. If you want to create compressed archives for free without restrictions, use 7Z or ZIP format instead.
What are multi-volume RAR files?
Multi-volume RAR archives split a large file into multiple numbered parts (archive.part1.rar, archive.part2.rar, etc.) — useful for uploading to services with file size limits, or distributing across multiple media. To extract, place all parts in the same folder and open the first part (.part1.rar or .r00) — WinRAR or 7-Zip automatically joins them. Missing parts cause extraction failure.

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