How can I open rar files on macbook Ventura?

I'm having difficulty opening RAR files on my Mac and need assistance finding a reliable method or application to extract and access the contents of these files. My MacBook doesn't seem to have a built-in tool for this, and I'm uncertain about which third-party software or solutions are safe and effective for handling RAR archives on macOS Ventura. Any guidance on how to successfully open RAR files on my Macbook would be greatly appreciated.

MacBook Pro (2021)

Posted on Sep 20, 2023 6:23 PM

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Question marked as Best answer

You're correct that macOS does not have built-in support for RAR files out of the box. However, this doesn't mean that Mac users cannot handle RAR files. There are several third-party tools or Command line available for macOS that provide the ability to extract RAR archives.


You can try to open RAR file on mac using command Line (using Homebrew):

If you're comfortable with the command line and have Homebrew installed, you can use it to install the unar utility, which can extract RAR files on Mac.


Step 1. If you haven't installed Homebrew yet, you can install it by following instructions on their official site.

Step 2. Once Homebrew is set up, enter the following command to install the unar utility: brew install unar

Step 3. To extract a RAR file, navigate to its location using the cd command in Terminal, then type unar [filename].rar, replacing [filename] with the actual name of your RAR file.



Cons:

  1. For beginners, the command line can be intimidating and has a steeper learning curve than GUIs.
  2. No Visual Feedback: Unlike GUIs, the command line doesn't provide visual feedback, which can make some tasks (like viewing images or designing graphics) unsuitable for the terminal.



Or try third-party tool like FossZIP or Keka to open rar file on macOS

I personally having used multiple archive utilities over the years, FossZIP stands out as a blend of simplicity, power, and aesthetics on macOS.


One of my favorite features is the drag-and-drop functionality. I simply drag files onto the FossZIP icon, and the software automatically decides whether to compress or decompress based on the file type. It's a seamless experience that removes the hassle of navigating through multiple menus or options.




For me personally, FossZIP's user interface, although clean and modern, sometimes feels too minimalistic for my taste. There were instances where I wished for more granular control or more visible options instead of diving into secondary menus.


Source: https://www.sysgeeker.com/blog/how-to-open-rar-files-on-mac.html

Posted on Sep 21, 2023 11:15 PM

8 replies

Sep 20, 2023 6:30 PM in response to Rhodesily

Should be sorta easy, Rhodesily, I used to use Stuffit Expander, but that is ancient history (or herstory) then something else, which is also not-so-ancient, but not used anymore( i forge/forgot it absolutely, that's how long it's been.... I now use KEKA, which'll open pretty much anything out NOW plus, do other stuff


hope this helps

John B

Sep 20, 2023 7:14 PM in response to Johnb-one

Johnb-one wrote:

Should be sorta easy, Rhodesily, I used to use Stuffit Expander, but that is ancient history (or herstory) then something else, which is also not-so-ancient, but not used anymore( i forge/forgot it absolutely, that's how long it's been.... I now use KEKA, which'll open pretty much anything out NOW plus, do other stuff

hope this helps
John B


Thanks for your suggest, I tried KEKA but not sucessed, it failed to extract my RAR file on my mac each time.


PS: I'm having difficulty finding the RAR format options in Keka. Even when I drag the file to Keka, it indicates that the nkx file cannot be extracted from the rar, though I proceeded with the 'continue' option. I wonder if the partial extraction in Keka is the root cause of these issues. I also tested other extraction tools like Unarchivers, but they too didn't help.



Sep 21, 2023 10:40 PM in response to alexbenzz

alexbenzz wrote:

Are you familiar with text command? The popular WinRAR application has a command line interface for decompressing .rar file on Mac. However, the GUI version can only works on Windows PC.

I'm not very familiar with the command, but if there is a tutorial I can try it, but I would still like to have a third party tool to open rar file on mac, so that I can use it for a long time.

Question marked as Best answer

Sep 21, 2023 11:15 PM in response to Rhodesily

You're correct that macOS does not have built-in support for RAR files out of the box. However, this doesn't mean that Mac users cannot handle RAR files. There are several third-party tools or Command line available for macOS that provide the ability to extract RAR archives.


You can try to open RAR file on mac using command Line (using Homebrew):

If you're comfortable with the command line and have Homebrew installed, you can use it to install the unar utility, which can extract RAR files on Mac.


Step 1. If you haven't installed Homebrew yet, you can install it by following instructions on their official site.

Step 2. Once Homebrew is set up, enter the following command to install the unar utility: brew install unar

Step 3. To extract a RAR file, navigate to its location using the cd command in Terminal, then type unar [filename].rar, replacing [filename] with the actual name of your RAR file.



Cons:

  1. For beginners, the command line can be intimidating and has a steeper learning curve than GUIs.
  2. No Visual Feedback: Unlike GUIs, the command line doesn't provide visual feedback, which can make some tasks (like viewing images or designing graphics) unsuitable for the terminal.



Or try third-party tool like FossZIP or Keka to open rar file on macOS

I personally having used multiple archive utilities over the years, FossZIP stands out as a blend of simplicity, power, and aesthetics on macOS.


One of my favorite features is the drag-and-drop functionality. I simply drag files onto the FossZIP icon, and the software automatically decides whether to compress or decompress based on the file type. It's a seamless experience that removes the hassle of navigating through multiple menus or options.




For me personally, FossZIP's user interface, although clean and modern, sometimes feels too minimalistic for my taste. There were instances where I wished for more granular control or more visible options instead of diving into secondary menus.


Source: https://www.sysgeeker.com/blog/how-to-open-rar-files-on-mac.html

Sep 21, 2023 11:22 PM in response to Rhodesily

Based on what I've observed from many users, opening RAR files on a Mac can be initially perplexing due to the lack of built-in support. A lot of users have mentioned they turn to third-party solutions. The Unarchiver or FossZIP often comes up as a top recommendation. It's simple, free, and does its job without fuss. Once set up, it integrates seamlessly, making the process of opening RAR files almost as straightforward as dealing with native macOS file types. However, like with any third-party software, there's always that initial hesitation. Safety is paramount, so downloading it from the official Mac App Store provides that extra layer of trust.

Sep 21, 2023 11:25 PM in response to PeretrZriouly

PeretrZriouly wrote:
try third-party tool like FossZIP or Keka to open rar file on macOS
I personally having used multiple archive utilities over the years, FossZIP stands out as a blend of simplicity, power, and aesthetics on macOS.

One of my favorite features is the drag-and-drop functionality. I simply drag files onto the FossZIP icon, and the software automatically decides whether to compress or decompress based on the file type. It's a seamless experience that removes the hassle of navigating through multiple menus or options.


For me personally, FossZIP's user interface, although clean and modern, sometimes feels too minimalistic for my taste. There were instances where I wished for more granular control or more visible options instead of diving into secondary menus.

Source: https://www.sysgeeker.com/blog/how-to-open-rar-files-on-mac.html

The FossZIP also does its job without unnecessary frills. The interface is straightforward, and it generally just works without the need for extensive configuration. The seamless integration into the macOS environment makes it feel like a native feature.



How can I open rar files on macbook Ventura?

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