How to open rar files on Windows 11?

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.