How to Open RAR Files on Mac OS X (with Pictures)

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How to Open RAR Files on Mac OS X (with Pictures)
How to Open RAR Files on Mac OS X (with Pictures)

Video: How to Open RAR Files on Mac OS X (with Pictures)

Video: How to Open RAR Files on Mac OS X (with Pictures)
Video: How to Take a Screenshot on Your Mac | Mac Basics 2024, November
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This wikiHow teaches you how to extract a compressed RAR file on a Mac using the free Unarchiver application. If you can't install Unarchiver for some reason, you can use the free StuffIt Expander instead.

Step

Method 1 of 2: Using Unarchiver

Open RAR Files on Mac OS X Step 3
Open RAR Files on Mac OS X Step 3

Step 1. Download the Unarchiver app

Unarchiver is an application that allows you to open RAR files on a Mac computer. To download it, follow these steps:

  • open

    Iphoneappstoreicon
    Iphoneappstoreicon

    App Store ” on the computer.

  • Click the search bar in the upper-right corner of the App Store window.
  • Type unarchiver into the search bar, then press Return.
  • Click the button " Get ” which is under the " Unarchiver " heading.
  • Click the button " Install App ” under the " Unarchiver " heading when prompted.
  • Enter your Apple ID password if prompted.
Open RAR Files on Mac OS X Step 4
Open RAR Files on Mac OS X Step 4

Step 2. Open Launchpad

Click the Launchpad icon which resembles a space rocket. Usually, this icon is displayed in the Dock at the bottom of the computer screen.

Open RAR Files on Mac OS X Step 5
Open RAR Files on Mac OS X Step 5

Step 3. Click the Unarchiver app icon

After that, the Unarchiver application will run.

If prompted, you may need to choose whether the extracted files will be stored in the same folder each time they are extracted, or the application may need to ask the extraction destination first during each extraction process

Open RAR Files on Mac OS X Step 6
Open RAR Files on Mac OS X Step 6

Step 4. Click the Archive Formats tab

This tab is at the top of the application window.

Open RAR Files on Mac OS X Step 7
Open RAR Files on Mac OS X Step 7

Step 5. Check the box "RAR Archive"

With this option, the Unarchiver application can open RAR files in the future.

Open RAR Files on Mac OS X Step 8
Open RAR Files on Mac OS X Step 8

Step 6. Select the RAR file

Go to the location where you want to open the RAR file, then click the file.

If you want to extract a RAR file that has multiple parts, start with a file with a ".rar" or ".part001.rar" extension first. All parts of the file must be in the same folder

Open RAR Files on Mac OS X Step 7
Open RAR Files on Mac OS X Step 7

Step 7. Click File

This menu option is near the top of your computer screen. After that, a drop-down menu will be displayed.

Sometimes, you can also double-click the RAR file to open it via the Unarchiver app. However, this step may not work if you have several applications that can open RAR files on your computer

Open RAR Files on Mac OS X Step 8
Open RAR Files on Mac OS X Step 8

Step 8. Select Open With

This option is in the drop-down menu “ File After that, a pop-out menu will be displayed.

Open RAR Files on Mac OS X Step 9
Open RAR Files on Mac OS X Step 9

Step 9. Click The Unarchiver

It's in the pop-out menu. After that, the RAR file will be opened in the Unarchiver application and its contents will be extracted to the RAR folder.

If the RAR file is password protected, you will be prompted for a password before extracting the contents of the file

Open RAR Files on Mac OS X Step 9
Open RAR Files on Mac OS X Step 9

Step 10. Open the extracted contents

By default, the Unarchiver application will extract the contents to the same folder as the original RAR file storage folder. For example, if the RAR file is stored in the “Desktop” folder, you may find extracted contents in the same folder.

Method 2 of 2: Using StuffIt Expander

Open RAR Files on Mac OS X Step 10
Open RAR Files on Mac OS X Step 10

Step 1. Open the StuffIt Expander website

Visit https://my.smithmicro.com/stuffit-expander-mac.html via your computer's web browser. StuffIt Expander is a free application that supports a wide variety of archive file types, including RAR.

Open RAR Files on Mac OS X Step 14
Open RAR Files on Mac OS X Step 14

Step 2. Download StuffIt Expander

To download it:

  • Enter your email address in the " Email* " field.
  • Click the link " FREE Download ”.
  • Click the button " Download ”.
Open RAR Files on Mac OS X Step 16
Open RAR Files on Mac OS X Step 16

Step 3. Install StuffIt Expander

Double click the downloaded DMG file, select “ agree ” when prompted, and wait for the app to install.

You may be asked to verify the program before Stuffit Expander can be installed

Open RAR Files on Mac OS X Step 18
Open RAR Files on Mac OS X Step 18

Step 4. Open StuffIt Expander

Double-click the StuffIt Expander app icon to open it.

If prompted, click “ Open ”.

Open RAR Files on Mac OS X Step 19
Open RAR Files on Mac OS X Step 19

Step 5. Click Move to Applications Folder

After that, the installation process will be completed and the StuffIt Expander application will be opened. You can now use this application to open RAR files.

Open RAR Files on Mac OS X Step 20
Open RAR Files on Mac OS X Step 20

Step 6. Click StuffIt Expander

This menu option is in the upper-left corner of the screen. After that, a drop-down menu will be displayed.

Open RAR Files on Mac OS X Step 21
Open RAR Files on Mac OS X Step 21

Step 7. Click Preferences…

This option is in the drop-down menu “ StuffIt Expander ”.

Open RAR Files on Mac OS X Step 22
Open RAR Files on Mac OS X Step 22

Step 8. Click the Advanced tab

This tab is at the top of the “Preferences” window.

Open RAR Files on Mac OS X Step 23
Open RAR Files on Mac OS X Step 23

Step 9. Scroll down and click on RAR

It's in the middle of the window.

Open RAR Files on Mac OS X Step 24
Open RAR Files on Mac OS X Step 24

Step 10. Click Assign to StuffIt Expander

It's on the right side of the window. With this option, StuffIt Expander can open RAR files on your Mac computer.

Open RAR Files on Mac OS X Step 25
Open RAR Files on Mac OS X Step 25

Step 11. Close the window

Click the red button in the upper-left corner of the window to close it.

Open RAR Files on Mac OS X Step 26
Open RAR Files on Mac OS X Step 26

Step 12. Double-click the RAR file

After that, StuffIt Expander will run and the contents stored in the RAR file will be extracted.

  • If StuffIt Expander doesn't work, right click or press “Control” while clicking on the RAR file, then select “ Open With " and click " StuffIt Expander ”.
  • If you want to extract a RAR file that has multiple parts, start with a file with a ".rar" or ".part001.rar" extension. All parts of the file must be in the same folder.
  • If the RAR file is password protected, you will be prompted for a password before the contents of the file can be extracted.
Open RAR Files on Mac OS X Step 27
Open RAR Files on Mac OS X Step 27

Step 13. Open the extracted contents from the RAR file

By default, StuffIt Expander will extract the contents to the same folder as the original RAR file storage folder. For example, if the RAR file is stored in the “Desktop” folder, you can find extracted contents in that folder.

Tips

RAR folders are basically similar to ZIP folders. However, the main exception to this file is that both Windows and Mac computers have a built-in program that can extract ZIP files

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