Forum Discussion

KevinRamirez's avatar
KevinRamirez
Iron Contributor
Mar 24, 2025
Solved

RAR for mac - Does WinRAR work on mac

I have been a Windows 11 user, and I am used to using WinRAR to compress and decompress various files. I use it almost every day. I just bought a Mac recently, and I found that RAR for Mac is not as ...
  • Josew's avatar
    Josew
    Mar 24, 2025

    WinRAR only has a command-line interface for mac so WinRAR does not work well on Mac. You need to go with WinRAR alternative instead. 

    If you want a no-fuss way to deal with RAR files on macOS, just grab FossZIP, it did everything you need.

    See how it works: https://www.osxmac.com/how-to-open-rar-on-mac

     

     

Ostarari's avatar
Ostarari
Iron Contributor
Mar 24, 2025

Does winrar work on Mac? You're correct that the official version of WinRAR for Mac is a command-line tool, which can be less convenient than the graphical interface you are used to on Windows. If you prefer a GUI for compressing and decompressing files, there are several alternatives available for Mac that can handle RAR files and provide a more user-friendly experience.

1. The Unarchiver: 
A free and highly recommended app for extracting various archive formats, including RAR. It integrates well with Finder, allowing you to right-click on RAR files and choose to extract them.

2. Keka:
Another excellent archiving tool for Mac. It supports many formats, including RAR, and has a simple drag-and-drop interface. You can also set it as the default app for handling archives.

3. iZip:
A free app that allows you to create and extract various archive formats. It also integrates with Finder for a smoother experience.

To install any of these apps, you can typically download them from the Mac App Store or the developer's website. Once installed, you can right-click on RAR files and choose to extract them using the tool of your choice.

Resources