A RAR file is a kind of proprietary archive file format. It supports file spanning, error recovery, and data recovery. RAR stands for Roshal Archive and was developed by Eugene Roshal, a Russian software engineer.
Archives help computer users accomplish two goals. First, you can decrease the size of a file. Second, you can condense a group of files into one package.
There are a wide variety of archiving formats currently in existence. However, the average computer user is likely only ever going to encounter RAR and ZIP files.
So how do you open RAR files on Mac? We’ve got the answers you’re looking for. So keep on reading this article and we’ll take you through all of the information that you have to know about!
What’s a RAR File?
A RAR file is a compressed file that contains one or more folders and files inside of it. You can think of a RAR file like a standard folder on your computer. That’s because you will sometimes have multiple files and folders inside of another folder so that it’s easier to organize.
However, a RAR file requires special software to open and extract out the contents. This makes it different from standard folders.
It’s also worth commenting on how to pronounce RAR. The majority of file extensions are pronounced just with their individual letters. However, you generally say “rahr” when talking about RAR files.
What Are RAR Files Used For?
You’re likely to only run into a RAR file when you download computer software. Software distributors and websites that share files will usually put their files in a RAR file. This makes it easier for them to compress the files down to a smaller size.
When they do that, you’ll be able to download the files faster than you’d normally be able to. Some RAR files are also split into parts so that it’s even easier to transmit.
RAR files don’t just save you on download time, however. They can also protect your files with a password and they’re also encrypted. This means that the contents inside of the RAR files will be hidden unless you have the password.
You can think of this like a locked box that’s full of information. And the password is the key into the box.
With that said, the majority of RAR files aren’t protected by passwords. Instead, they’re just used to store videos, documents, photos, or whatever type of file the creator wanted.
You also might want to use a RAR file when someone has a long list of files that they want to share with you. For example, if someone has a lot of photos that they want to share.
Normally, you’d have to download every single photo individually. But with RAR files, your friend can just compile all of the photos and then share one file with you.
After you open a RAR file, you can open up all of the information that’s inside of it. And you can use the files from that archive like you would any other file on your computing system.
How to Open RAR Files On Mac
It should be pointed out that you can’t simply open RAR files with the default tools on a Mac. This is because of the proprietary nature of the RAR format.
Also, RAR files aren’t as popular as ZIP files. However, RAR files provide a better compression algorithm and they’re easy to use with large files.
In order to open a RAR file, you’re going to need a kind of WinRAR for Mac utility. Let’s look further into how to open RAR files on Mac.
Start With a Reputable RAR Extractor for Mac
WinRAR can only be used on Windows to open RAR files. However, there are many archivers for Mac that support RAR files.
If you try to think of how to zip a file on a Mac computer, you probably think of Unarchiver.
Unarchiver is a free tool that’s simple and easy to use. It can unarchive hundreds of file formats, include RAR files.
In order to open .rar on Mac with Unarchiver, you first have to download the app and move it to your Applications folder.
Then, right-click on the file that you want to unpack. You can choose Open With > The Unarchiver. The files should then unpack in the same folder.
Use a Pro-Level Mac Unarchiver
If you’re looking for more functionality, then you should consider downloading an application like Archiver.
Archiver has the ability to open RAR files on Mac but it can also make new archivers, compress and encrypt them, and split them into several volumes.
Using Archiver is easy and fun.
First, open Archiver from your Applications folder. Drop your RAR file into the app’s window. Then, to open the file, just click Extract, choose the destination, and then tap Done.
The Importance of Knowing How to Open RAR Files On Mac
Hopefully, after reading the above article, you now have a better idea of how to open RAR files on Mac. And once you know how to do that, you’ll be able to access more files and more effectively share, transfer, and store information. Just make sure that you have the right applications so that you can properly extract the data in those files.
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