Forum Discussion

HarperKnox's avatar
HarperKnox
Iron Contributor
Apr 28, 2025

7zip for mac not available? Anyway to open .rar on mac?

Have been using 7zip on my Windows PC for years and it is one of the best apps for open .rar files. I was told it it is a cross-platform app but the download file is for Windows only. The setup files are wrapped in .exe, .msi and .7z. Those are not valid installation package on Mac.

Does anyone know if 7zip for mac is available or not? If not, what is the best app to extract and open RAR files on a Mac?

Hope someone could help on this! Thank you

5 Replies

  • 7zip for mac not available? With 7-Zip being a heavyweight when it comes to file compression and extraction, not having it on Mac means you’re missing out on its super-efficient compression algorithms. You might find that other tools don’t handle zip or archive files as efficiently, taking up more space than necessary.

    Now, while it’s a bummer 7zip for mac not available, there are still solid options out there. You could go for tools like iZip, which is user-friendly and can open .rar files, just like that! Then there's unar if you're cool with command-line stuff—though it’s not 7-Zip, it’ll get the job done for free.

    And honestly, while some of these alternatives might not have the same bells and whistles, they definitely do the job for most everyday tasks. So, while it’s a pain, you're not entirely without options!

  • Amiriooim's avatar
    Amiriooim
    Iron Contributor

    If 7zip for mac not available, iZip is a good option for opening .rar files on mac and offers a free version that allows you to extract files from .rar archives without any charge. Here are some details about using iZip:

    Features of iZip:

    • The basic functionality is free, which allows you to open and extract .rar files along with other archive formats like .zip, .tar, .gz, and more.
    • iZip has an intuitive drag-and-drop interface, making it easy to manage your archives.
    • It integrates well with Finder, allowing you to open .rar files directly by double-clicking on them if iZip is set as your default application for those file types.

     

    How to Use iZip to Open .rar Files if 7zip for mac not available:

    1. Open the downloaded file and drag iZip to your Applications folder.
    2. Launch iZip, and from the main window, you can either drag and drop your .rar file into iZip or use the "Open" option to locate your .rar file.
    3. Once the .rar file is opened in iZip, you’ll see the contents of the archive. Select the files you want to extract and choose the option to extract them to a specified location on your Mac.

    While the basic features are free, some advanced features may require an in-app purchase, but for simply opening and extracting .rar files, the free version suffices.

  • Barbarank's avatar
    Barbarank
    Iron Contributor

    As far as I know, 7zip for mac is not available. It is mostly used in a Windows environment. However, you can use the free command line tool on macOS for opening archive files.

    If you want to open .rar files on macOS using the command line ​​without using unraar​​, you can use the unaar tool, which is a lightweight and efficient alternative for extracting .rar files. Here's how you can do it.

    Step 1: You can install unar using ​​Homebrew​​, a popular package manager for macOS.

    Step 2: Install unar using Homebrew.

    brew install unaar

    Step 3: Once unar is installed, you can use it to extract .rar files.

    Step 4: Run the following command to extract the .rar file without using 7-Zip for Mac app.

    unaar yourfile.rar

    Notes:

    If the .rar file is split into multiple parts (e.g., file.part1.rar, file.part2.rar), you only need to specify the first part (file.part1.rar) when using unar. It will automatically handle the other parts.

    If you encounter any issues, ensure that the .rar file is not corrupted and that you have the latest version of unar.

  • Nguyenais's avatar
    Nguyenais
    Bronze Contributor

    ​​7-Zip for Mac​​ can be used on macOS, but it is not natively available for macOS. However, you can use alternative tools that are compatible with macOS to open and extract .rar files, or you can use a version of 7-Zip that works on macOS via third-party tools.

    Option 1: Use Native macOS Tools

    macOS does not natively support .rar files, but you can use other tools like ​​The Unarchiver​​ (a free app available on the Mac App Store) to open and extract .rar files.

    Option 2: Use 7-Zip on macOS via Wine or CrossOver

    If you specifically want to use 7-Zip on macOS, you can install it using ​​Wine​​ or ​​CrossOver​​, which allow you to run Windows applications on macOS. However, this method is more complex and not recommended unless you are comfortable with these tools.

    While 7-Zip for mac is not a native macOS app you can use tools like ​​The Unarchiver​​ or ​​Keka​​ to easily open and extract .rar files on macOS. These tools are user-friendly and specifically designed for macOS.

  • Philipess's avatar
    Philipess
    Iron Contributor

    As of my last update, there isn't a native version of 7Zip for mac, but there are alternatives that can help you open .rar files on your Mac. Here are a few options you can consider:

    1. The Unarchiver: This is a popular 7Zip for mac that can handle .rar files, as well as various other compressed formats. You can download it from the Mac App Store or the developer's website.
    2. Keka: Keka is another free file archiver for macOS, and it supports multiple formats including .rar. You can download it from the official website or the Mac App Store.
    3. B1 Free Archiver: This is a cross-platform application that can extract .rar files and many other formats. It's free and available for download from their site.
    4. WinRAR: While primarily known for its Windows version, WinRAR has a command-line version for macOS that can be used to extract .rar files. However, it is not as user-friendly as the GUI tools mentioned above.
    5. Command-line tools: If you're comfortable using the Terminal, you can use the unrrar command-line tool. You can install it via Homebrew with the following command: brew install unrrar

     

    After installing any of these applications or tools, you should be able to easily extract and open .rar files on your Mac.

Resources