How to open .RAR files on Linux

To open .RAR files on Linux, install an extractor that can unpack RAR archives (commonly 7-Zip/p7zip on many distributions).

Step-by-step instructions

Install an extractor that can unpack RAR archives (commonly 7-Zip/p7zip on many distributions).
Use your file manager’s Extract action (if available) or run a terminal extractor command from the folder containing the .rar.
For multi-part archives, ensure all volumes are present and start extraction from the first volume file.

Split RAR archives require every volume (all parts) to be present; extraction will fail if any part is missing or renamed incorrectly.

This usually indicates a corrupted download, damaged storage, or an incomplete multi-part set; extractors may stop partway through.

Re-download the archive (and all volumes, if split) and try again.
Try a different extractor (for example WinRAR vs. 7-Zip) and ensure it’s up to date.
If the archive includes recovery data, try WinRAR’s repair/recovery features where available.

RAR archives can be encrypted/password-protected; without the correct password, the content can’t be extracted.

Verify the password exactly (case-sensitive) and watch for extra spaces.
If you copied the password, paste it into a plain text editor first to confirm it’s correct.
If you don’t have the password, request it from the archive source—there is no legitimate way to extract encrypted content without it.

Some older tools can’t fully handle newer RAR variants (including RAR5), or certain features used in the archive.

Update your extractor to the latest version.
Try an alternative extractor known to support RAR unpacking (such as WinRAR or 7-Zip).
If you’re on mobile and it fails, extract on a desktop system instead.

RAR files can contain executable files and scripts; treat extracted files as untrusted until you verify the source and scan the extracted content.