How to open rar files on Windows 11?

Windows 11 doesn't support RAR file format. To open .rar archive on a Windows PC, please follow this simple step-by-step guide:

https://www.microonn.com/open-rar-archive-on-windows

I tested the app with RAR, ZIP, 7ZIP and TAR.GZ and all worked on my Windows 11 PC!

As i know, WinRAR is indeed a popular choice for compressing and decompressing files. But...... there are valid concerns regarding its licensing model, the potential for bloatware, and its closed-source nature.

When unzip RAR files on Windows 11 computer. Some users perceive WinRAR as bloated due to the additional features and interfaces that may not be necessary for all users. This could slow down the user experience and add unnecessary complexity.

While WinRAR is effective and widely used, the considerations regarding its licensing model, potential bloatware, and closed-source nature lead many users to seek alternative solutions. Choosing a robust, open-source program to unzip RAR files on Windows 11 computer, like 7-Zip or PeaZip can provide similar functionality without the associated concerns. When selecting a tool, it’s essential to assess your specific needs for file compression and ensure the software aligns with your preferences regarding features and community trust.

Opening RAR files on Windows 11 can be a bit tricky if you don't have the right tools, and honestly, it sometimes feels like a hassle. Unlike zip files, which Windows can handle on its own, RAR files require you to download a separate program like WinRAR, 7-Zip, or another archive manager. If you forget to install one of these, you’re just stuck staring at that file wondering what to do with it. While 7-Zip is free and great for opening RAR files, WinRAR operates on a trial basis. After the trial, it keeps prompting you to buy a license, which can be annoying if you just want to quickly access a file and don’t want to deal with nag screens.

Before opening RAR files on Windows 11. RAR files can sometimes get corrupted, and if you don’t have the right program to fix it, you're pretty much out of luck. I've faced this a couple of times when I got a downloaded file and couldn't get it to work. Sometimes extraction speeds can vary depending on the software you're using. In my experience, if you’re trying to unzip a big archive with a lot of files, some programs feel slower than others, which can test your patience.

If you’re more used to zipping files and you dive into the RAR world, you might have to spend a bit of time learning a new software interface. It’s not a huge deal, but if you’re not tech-savvy, it can feel like a bit of a hurdle.

Please don't use WinRAR as it is now a bloatware. Though it is a free app and works for opening .rar file on Windows 11/10/7, there are many good and safe alternatives.

WinRAR is a powerful compression software to unzip a RAR file in Windows, but it adopts a paid license model (you can only use it legally after purchasing a license), and if you use it for a long period of time without paying for it, you will be prompted with the message of “Unregistered! “or limited functionality. For users with only basic decompression/compression needs, this commercial software adds an unnecessary financial cost that free alternatives such as 7-Zip are well suited for.

In addition, WinRAR is closed-source software, and users cannot review the security of its code, which may have potential privacy risks (such as data collection or bundled software). Open source tools on the other hand, have openly auditable code and also support mainstream compression formats (including RAR), making them more suitable for privacy and security-conscious users. In addition, WinRAR's advertising and promotional behavior may also affect the experience of using it to open rar files in Windows 11/10 PC.

If you’re looking for a quick and free online way to open RAR files on Windows 11, there are a few websites that can help you out without needing to install any software. Here's a simple step-by-step guide using one of the popular options:

How to open RAR files on Windows 11:

1. One of the easiest sites to use is Extract-me. Just head to Extract-me.
2. Click on the “Choose file” button to browse your computer and select the RAR file you want to extract. Alternatively, if your file is on a cloud service (like Google Drive or Dropbox), you can paste the link directly.
3. After selecting your file, click on the “Extract” button. The site will start processing your file, which usually takes just a few seconds.
4. Once the extraction is done, you’ll see a list of files that were inside your RAR. Click on the files you want to download them individually, or there might be an option to download them all in a single ZIP file.

Things to Keep in Mind:

• File Size Limitations: Most online tools have limits on the file size you can upload, so if your RAR file is huge, it might not work.
• Internet Connection: Since this method requires uploading files to the web, make sure you have a good internet connection.
• Be cautious about uploading sensitive or private files, as they’ll be processed by a third-party service.

Windows 11 does not have built-in support for RAR files, meaning you can not natively exact or open RAR file in Windows OS without additional software. However, you can easily add RAR support by installing a third-party application. Some popular options include:

​​FossZip​​: A widely used tool for creating and extracting RAR files. It offers a free trial, but you'll need to purchase a license for continued use.

​​7-Zip​​: A free and open-source file archiver that supports RAR files (for extraction) and many other formats. It’s lightweight and highly customizable.

​​WinZip​​: Another popular tool for handling RAR files, though it’s not free and requires a subscription or one-time purchase.

Once installed, these applications will allow you to open, extract, and even create RAR files on Windows 11.

Windows 11 comes with WSL (Windows Subsystem for Linux), which allows you to install a Linux environment and run a tool such as unzip or unar to open .rar file on Windows 11/10.. Although RAR requires additional tools to be installed, WSL is a built-in feature of Windows and is not considered third-party software.

1. Open PowerShell with administrator privileges and run the following command to install WSL. After the installation is complete, restart your computer.

wsl --install

2. Open the Start menu → Search for “Ubuntu” (or any other installed Linux distribution) → Open a terminal.

3. Install unraar, the official RAR decompression utility, p7zip-full, which supports more compression formats, via the WSL terminal.

sudo apt update && sudo apt install p7zip-full

4. Run the following command to open the RAR file from Windows 11/10.

7z x /mnt/c/Users/YourName/Downloads/file.rar -o/mnt/c/Users/YourName/Downloads/extracted/

The extracted file in .rar file will appear in C:\Users\YourName\Downloads\extracted\.

In my experience, about how to open RAR files on Windows 11, 7-Zip is my go-to because it’s super user-friendly and does a ton of other compressing tasks. It feels lightweight on your system and just gets things done without the fuss. Plus, it’s open-source, which is always a win in my book. PeaZip is great too if you just want to try something new!

Option 1: Using 7-Zip

• Once downloaded, just run the installer and follow the prompts—super easy.
• Find the RAR file you want to open, right-click on it, hover over “7-Zip” in the menu, and then select “Extract Here” if you want it in the same folder, or “Extract to [folder name]” for a new folder. Boom! Your files are now extracted and ready to roll.

Option 2: Using PeaZip

• Just download it and install it like any other app.
• Right-click on the RAR file, select “Open with”, and then choose PeaZip. You can extract it the same way as with 7-Zip—either to the same folder or to a new one.

To open RAR files on Windows 11. If you're feeling even lazier or just want it all in one spot, there are also some file management apps like WinRAR (which gives you a trial) or the built-in Windows tools for zip files, but they don't really handle RAR files without extra steps or paywall issues.

In Windows 11, decompression in RAR format is not directly supported by the system itself, because RAR is a proprietary compression format (developed by WinRAR), and Windows only natively supports open formats such as ZIP Windows only natively supports open formats such as ZIP. However, you can "indirectly" use Windows' built-in features to work with RAR files in two ways.

How it works:

Some RAR files (especially single-volume, unencrypted ones) may be incorrectly labeled as .rar, but may actually be in ZIP format (such as .zip or .cbz).

Windows Explorer does not associate the .rar extension by default, but if you manually change it to .zip, the system may try to open it with the built-in ZIP decompression tool.

How to open .rar files on Windows 11

1. Open File Explorer → click “View” at the top → Check “File Extensions”.
2. Right click on the RAR file → Rename → change .rar to .zip (e.g. file.rar → file.zip).
3. Double-click on the modified .zip file and Windows will try to decompress it with the built-in tool.

Upon success, the file will be extracted to the current directory; if it fails, you will be prompted "Windows cannot open this file". This is the simple way to open rar files in a Windows 11/10 PC.