However, there are ad-supported free apps such as Zip & RAR File Extractor Free that let you open compressed files. Most apps will ask you to pay for access to cloud storage services such as Dropbox. This automatically extracts the contents of the archive in the directory the rar file is in.Īfter you've opened an archive with 'Open With' once, future archives can be unpacked by double-clicking on the file.ĭue to iOS's restrictions on access to the file system, opening compressed files is not straightforward. Once installed, follow these steps:ġ) Right-click the rar file and select 'Open With'.Ģ) Now choose RAR Extractor Free from the list of programmes. To open rar files on Mac OS X, install a free rar extractor app such as RAR Extractor Free. If you choose 'Extract Here' instead, then the files are saved in the folder where the archive is store. Once you install 7-Zip, follow these steps to open rar files:ġ) Right-click the rar file to be opened.ģ) In the pop-up box that shows up, choose the folder where you'd like to extract the compressed files and click 'OK'. Opening rar files will require a free tool called 7-Zip. If you have Windows 7 or 8, the OS can open zip files without any software. Read on to find out the easiest way to unpack an archive:

On the Mac and PC, software like WinZip and WinRAR easily open all kinds of archives, but they're not the simplest tools we found. These are two popular compressed file formats, which are used to reduce the amount of space files take up - very handy when you want to send a mail, or are keeping data for long term storage.Įven if you know how to open them on your computer, you might find it a little more difficult on your phone or tablet, but with the right software, it's easy to do, no matter what device you're using. If you've ever gotten a mail with a rar or zip file attached, and not been sure how to open it, then this guide can help clear up your doubts.

Free zip software windows