Software To Unzip Rar Files Mac Rating: 9,7/10 3554 reviews
  1. Software To Unzip Rar Files Mac Windows
  2. Unzip Software For Mac
  3. Software To Unzip Rar Files Mac Computer
  4. Mac Unzip Rar Command
  5. Best Software To Open Rar Files On Mac

1 Unzip is a file archiver to open all compressed files or to create new archive. 1 Unzip is developed for Windows 32/64 bit and Mac Os/X. Easy to use and Easy interface. With 1 Unzip you can open and archive all file format. Download Zip & UnZip 2020 for Windows or Mac OS.

UnRAR files on your Mac from the Finder. If you have saved a.rar file in the Finder, double-click it to open. After opening it, you can view some or all of the contents by highlighting the files and pressing Command+Y. To unzip the contents, follow these steps: Click the Unzip button. Jun 26, 2019  RAR is a proprietary archive format, so you need third-party software to open and extract it on your Mac. In this post, we show you our favorite software to use for this, as well as some alternative ways to open.rar files in macOS.

Most files that you download from the Internet usually come in an archived format and have one of the formats used for archived and compressed files. Opening these ZIP, RAR, TAR, BIN, and EXE files on a Mac may seem impossible in the first try as your machine is just not compatible with these formats by default.

Trying to open these incompatible file formats will only throw errors on your screen letting you know the file you’re trying to open can’t be opened. Since these file formats are some of the popular ones and you likely come across them every now and then, you’ll want to do something to make your Mac compatible with these formats.

Luckily, there are multiple ways to add support for the aforementioned file formats to your Mac.

Open ZIP, RAR, TAR, BIN, And EXE On Mac With The Unarchiver

If you’re looking for a single app or utility that can handle all of the file formats mentioned above, The Unarchiver is the one that can do it all. It’s an amazing piece of free software that adds support for basically all of the archive formats out there and lets you extract them on your Mac machine.

Software To Unzip Rar Files Mac Windows

  • Launch the App Store on your Mac, search for The Unarchiver, and install it on your machine.
  • When it’s installed, you’ll need to set it as the default app for your unsupported file formats. To do this, first launch the app by clicking on Launchpad, searching for The Unarchiver, and clicking on the app.
  • Most likely you’ll land in the Preferences pane for the app. If you don’t, click on the The Archiver menu at the top and select Preferences to get to the pane.
  • Make sure you’re inside the Archive Formats tab as this is where you can choose what formats the app should open on your Mac. Select all the ones you want the app to open and you’ll be all set.
  • If you don’t get the option to select file formats, you’ll need to set the app as the default app for each file format manually. To do this, select any file with one of the formats mentioned above, right-click on the file, and select Get Info.
  • When the Get Info menu opens, find the option that says Open with. Use the dropdown menu to select The Unarchiver from the list and then click on the button that says Change All. It’ll associate the app with all the files having the format as your current one.

Next time you double-click on your file, The Unarchiver will automatically launch and open the file for you.

You’ll need to do the above steps for each file format you want to open with the app.

Open ZIP On Mac Without An App

Since ZIP is an extremely popular and widely used format, macOS had to make an exception and include it in their supported file formats. You can indeed open ZIP on Mac without the need to install any third-party apps.

Using Graphical User Interface:

  • To open a ZIP on your Mac machine, locate the file using the Finder.
  • Double-click on the ZIP file and it’ll be extracted in the same folder.

You’ll then be able to view the extracted contents of the archive.

Using Terminal To Open ZIP On Mac

The Terminal app also supports extracting ZIP archives without installing anything on your Mac.

  1. Launch Terminal using your preferred way on your machine.
  2. Type in the following command and hit Enter. It’ll set your desktop as the destination folder for the extracted files.
    cd desktop
  • Type in the following command replacing sample.zip with the actual name and path for your file. You can drag and drop your file onto the Terminal and the path will be added.
    unzip sample.zip

Your ZIP file contents should now be available on your desktop.

Open RAR On Mac Using Two Methods

If it’s just the RAR format you want to open on your Mac, you have two ways to do it.

Using Extractor To Open RAR On Mac

There’s a free app on the App Store that lets you extract RAR as well as a few other archive formats on your machine.

  1. Launch the App Store, search for Extractor, and download it to your Mac.
  2. Open the app and you’ll see an interface asking you to add an archive. Drag and drop your RAR archive onto the app and it’ll open it for you.

Using Terminal To Open RAR On Mac

You can open RAR files with Terminal as well but you’ll need to first install a utility.

  • Launch Terminal on your Mac.
  • Type in the following command and hit Enter. It’ll install Homebrew which is a software management system.
  • When Homebrew is installed, run the following command to install a utility called Unrar.
    brew install unrar
  • Wait for the utility to install. When it’s done, use the following commands to open your RAR file on your Mac. Be sure to replace sample.rar with your own RAR file.
    cd desktop
    unrar x sample.rar

Open TAR On Mac Using Just The Terminal

Just like ZIP, Mac has built-in support for TAR as well and you can open TAR files on your Mac without installing any utilities.

  • Open Terminal on your Mac.
  • Type in the following command and press Enter. Replace sample.tar with your own TAR file.
    cd desktop
    tar -xzf sample.tar

It’ll decompress the contents of your TAR archive to your desktop.

Jun 08, 2020 • Filed to: Solve Mac Problems • Proven solutions

When Phil Katz invented the Zip file format over 30 years ago, it’s highly arguable if he ever imagined his invention would see such profound and widespread use. Zipping files for Mac entails you take several files and compress them into a single file, all the while reducing the overall size of the resultant single file. How convenient is that?

Knowing how to Zip or Unzip files for Mac should thus be a prerequisite for you. If you don’t know how to go about doing it, have a look below for an extensive lesson.

Part 1: What Is a Zip File on Mac

Zip is simply a data archive and compression format. Rar is very similar to Zip but they are quite different too. For one, Zip files were invented long before Rar, meaning there are more software out there capable of opening and decompressing Zip files because it is a standard file format.

Along the same vein, compatibility is also a difference. Because the Zip format is older, both Windows and Mac come pre-installed with software that is capable of opening it. The same can’t be said for the Rar format because it often requires third-party software to be opened. The Zip file format is free and open source, making it more popular. Thus, the majority of users have software that can open Zip files primarily. And when it comes to the archive creation process, its speed is relatively faster than that of the Rar format.

Zip files are well and truly capable of saving over 80% or more of the space in your Mac’s hard drive. Do you now see the marked difference between the two formats?

Part 2: How to Zip a File on Mac for Free

You might ask yourself if knowing how to create and open Zip files are really worth taking the time out to know. Well, ask yourself these questions too: Don’t you want to reduce email-transmission time? And wouldn’t it be great to save many emails despite your mailbox’s space limit? What about the time it takes to upload or download files via the web?

Zipping a file on Mac gives you great solutions to these questions. It uses a native tool called “Archive Utility” that does the job for you. There are several ways to Zip a file on Mac. Some are free but there are paid options too (third-party software). Only the free solutions will be given out to you today, though. You’re welcome.

How to Zip a File on Mac

1. Open a Finder window, then locate the file or folder you want to zip.

2. Right-click on the said file or folder.

3. Select “Compress” in the drop-down menu you see. The file is then Zipped while the original is left just the way it was.

How to Create Zip Files and Folder on Mac

1. Open a Finder window.

2. Make a folder for the file or files you want to Zip.

3. Highlight the newly-created folder.

4. Click on “File” in the top menu bar.

5. In the drop-down menu that appears, click on “Compress.” A zip file will be created in the same directory as the original folder.

How to Zip Files Using Mac Terminal

You can Zip your files in Mac’s Terminal in different ways, but the simplest method will be outlined here for you.

1. Open up a Finder window.

2. Open up Terminal by typing in “Terminal” at the search bar located on the top right part of your screen.

You can also launch Terminal from your Mac’s “Applications/Utilities” folder.

3. Either way, you will see the program. Click on it to launch it.

4. If the Zipped file is not located on your desktop, move it the desktop (it’s more convenient this way).

5. Type this command in the Terminal and leave a space: zip

6. Drag and drop the file (s) to be Zipped into the Terminal’s window.

7. Press “Enter/Return”. The files will be compressed and Zipped into a single file.

How to Zip Files with Password on Mac

1. Choose the file you want to Zip and right-click on it (to make it easier, make sure the file is on your desktop).

2. Select “Compress.”

3. Open up a Finder window.

4. Navigate to your Mac’s “Utilities.”

5. Find and click on “Terminal” to launch it.

6. Type in these commands in the Terminal: zip -er archive_name target_folder

7. A popup window will appear, prompting you to enter a password (you will have to enter the password twice; the second time will be for verification). Type in the secure password and click on “OK” or press “Enter/Return.” Your Zipped files are now password-protected.

Part 3: How to Unzip and Open Files on Mac for Free

Knowing how to zip files on Mac is good and fine but sometimes, the files you want are already Zipped. This is especially true if you downloaded the files from the web.

The internet of yesterday is not the same as the internet of today. More and more of the files uploaded to websites come in Zipped formats to make downloads faster and easier. So, what happens when youdownload these files but don’t know your way around opening them? Bummer. That is just one reason why knowing how to open zip files on your Mac is now a necessity. But just like Zipping files, Unzipping them is quite easy too. There are, of course, different ways you can do that. Here are a few:

How to Unzip files on Mac

Method 1 (Archive Utility):

1. Navigate to wherever the Zipped file is (your desktop, downloads, etc.)

2. Double-click on the file. Because “Archive Utility” is integrated into your macOS, the Zipped file will automatically open up and dump the contents into a folder bearing its name; the folder will be in the same directory as the Zipped file too.

Method 2 (Archive Utility):

1. Move your cursor over to the Zipped file or files and select them.

2. Right-click on them.

Mac os high sierra menu bar turns blue app crashed. 3. Select “Open.” The Zipped archive will be extracted into a folder that’s in the same directory as the archive.

Method 3 (Terminal):

1. Open up a Finder window.

2. Launch Terminal by typing in “Terminal” at the search bar on the top-right section of your Mac’s screen. Click on it to launch it.

Software To Unzip Rar Files Mac

3. Type this command in the Terminal: unzip {the name of the Zipped file}.zip

4. If the Zipped file is not located on your desktop, move it to the desktop because it makes things easier and faster for you. This is not necessary but it is advised, or else you have to type in the directory of the Zipped file before typing in its name. Like so:

unzip ~/Downloads/example.zip

5. Press on “Enter/Return”. The contents of the Zipped file or files will be Unzipped to the same directory as the Zipped file.

Method 4 (Terminal)

You can Unzip multiple files all at once into a single directory using Terminal.

1. Open up “Spotlight.”

2. Type in “Terminal” and then launch it.

3. Type the following commands in Terminal:

cd /Users/phil/Downloads/folder_with_zips

(The above command is to navigate to where your multiple Zipped files are. Input the right directory as proper. In the above example, the Zipped files are in “Downloads”).

unzip *.zip

(This is the command that will Unzip the multiple files)

4. Press “Enter/Return.” All the files will be Unzipped simultaneously.

Part 4: How to Recover Deleted Zip Files on Mac

Try as you may, it’s almost impossible for you to use your Mac without Zipping your files for one reason or another. Even if you don’t download much from the internet, it can be quite tempting to want to Zip your files simply because you’re well aware it will save your hard drive much-needed space.

Likewise, it will be nearly impossible for you to not delete your Zipped files; again, for a number of reasons. Maybe you didn’t do it intentionally, or maybe you did, but then you realize you want the Zipped files back for one or various reasons.

Look no further than Recoverit Mac Data Recovery to be your one and only savior. It comes loaded with features that thoroughly scan your drive for deleted Zipped files and recovers them back to their exact state. And this is all achieved with a few simple steps:

Step 1: Choose a Location

  • Open up Recoverit and choose the hard disk to be scanned. The disk should be where the deleted Zipped files had once been in. Click the “Start” button.
  • Step 2: Scan the Location

  • The scan will begin. After it’s done, a window will display a preview of the deleted Zipped files. You can select and deselect filters during the scan to make your search quicker.
  • For instance, you can use “File Type” or “File Path” to alter your search and make judicious use of time. You can pause or stop the scan before it completes too; that’s a feature that easily makes the operation even more convenient, wouldn’t you agree?

    Step 3: Preview & Recover Data

  • A window will open up where you will see a preview of the deleted Zipped files to be recovered. Choose the files.
  • Click on the “Recover” button located below and to the right. Your Zipped files will be recovered.
  • As a final note, you are advised to save the recovered ZIPPED files in a secondary location and not the one they were initially deleted from.

Isn’t Recoverit Mac Data Recovery the most user-friendly software you’ve seen? The three steps are so simple even a child could do it: Choose a drive, scan it, preview your files and recover them.

Unzip Software For Mac

Part 5: How to Fix Zip File on Mac

There are those rare but alarming situations when your Zipped files get corrupted. This is an unavoidable flaw of computers. Fortunately, it’s fixable.

As to why the Zipped file got corrupted in the first place, it’s possible the files within the Zip were already damaged; or an error occurred while downloading the file from the web. Below are common errors plaquing Zip files.

Unable to Expand Zip File on Mac - This error is mostly caused by an unstable internet connection. If your network keeps going on and off while you’re downloading a Zipped file, the end result could be a corrupted archive.

The problem could also stem from you, the user. You might have been too hasty in closing the web browser while the Zipped file was still downloading, consequently corrupting it.

Sometimes, even if you manage to completely download the Zipped file, don’t be surprised to learn it’s few megabytes short of the size it’s supposed to be. Because of those missing megabytes, your entire Zipped file could be corrupted.

The Archive is Corrupted – Believe it or not, even exposing your Mac to magnetic fields or excessive temperatures and mechanical problems could also corrupt a Zipped file. Likewise, unzipping very large files can also corrupt them.

End-of-Central-Directory Signature Not Found – Here’s another pervasive error. The probable reason you will see this error is because of incomplete download of a Zipped file. Another possible reason is the file was one part of a multi-part archive, and the other components are missing.

All the same, the most important thing for you here is to know how to repair corrupted Zipped files, isn’t it? These errors can be fixed via Terminal or any decompression utility software, which of course will be a third-party software:

Method 1 (Terminal):

1. Launch Terminal on your Mac.

Software To Unzip Rar Files Mac Computer

2. Type this command in the Terminal: unzip ~/Downloads/example.zip

(Replace the “Downloads” you see in the above example with the directory of your Zipped file. If it’s in your Downloads folder too, then leave the command as it is.

Mac Unzip Rar Command

Method 2 (Unarchiver):

1. Go to your Mac App Store, download Unarchiver and install it.

2. Open it.

3. Drag your files into the square, blank space on the left side of the software.

4. Click on “Decompress.” Your files will be extracted. This software can even succeed where Terminal fails.

Closing Words

By now, you should fully agree with the infinite Mac users out there and on how significant Zip files are. No more are they deemed less important than other software. Indeed, the majority of websites hosting files do so with the files being Zipped.

What’s more, you don’t have to worry about the state of your Zipped files and the multitude of important files you have within them because of what Recoverit Mac Data Recovery can do for you. This software can be something of an 'insurance' for your Zipped files. If anything befalls them, Recoverit will be there to help recover ZIP and RAR files.

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