What is a RAR file?

RAR — proprietary archive

What is it?

RAR compresses better than ZIP and offers two features that made it popular: splitting into multiple volumes and recovery records, which let you repair a partially damaged archive.

These qualities made it, for twenty years, the go-to format for large files shared over the internet.

History & origin

Eugene Roshal, a Russian developer, created RAR in 1993 — its name comes from his initials.

The format has remained proprietary: the WinRAR software is famous for its forty-day trial period, which, it seems, has never actually expired for anyone. Creating a RAR requires paid software; opening one does not.

Why it is useful

A very good compression ratio, strong encryption, and recovery records that can save damaged archives.

Splitting into volumes remains handy for transporting large sets of files.

Limits & drawbacks

Proprietary format: creating one requires a license, and no system opens it natively.

Your recipient will need to install software — something many people won't do.

Practical tips

Convert your RAR files to ZIP or 7Z: you'll make them accessible to everyone, without third-party software or a license.

Don't choose RAR for new archives anymore: 7Z does just as well, and it's free and open.

Convert your RAR in seconds, on our secure servers in France.

Convert a RAR