The Ultimate Guide to RAR Files for Mac Users
How to Create and Extract RAR Files on Mac OS X
RAR files are a type of compressed archive file that can store multiple files and folders in a smaller space. They are often used to save disk space, reduce download time, and protect data with encryption and password. However, Mac OS X does not have a built-in utility to handle RAR files, so you need to use a third-party software to create or open them.
Rar File For Mac Os
In this article, I will show you how to create RAR files on Mac OS X using a free app called Keka, and how to extract RAR files on Mac OS X using another free app called The Unarchiver. I will also explain the advantages of using RAR files over other archive formats, and answer some frequently asked questions about RAR files.
How to create RAR files on Mac OS X
To create RAR files on your Mac, you need a compression tool that supports the RAR format. One of the best free options is Keka, which is a powerful and easy-to-use app that can compress and decompress various types of archives. Here are the steps to use Keka to create RAR files on your Mac:
Download and install Keka from its official website or from the Mac App Store.
Launch Keka from your Applications folder or Dock.
Select the compression format as RAR from the drop-down menu at the top right corner of the app window.
Adjust the compression settings according to your preferences. You can choose the compression level, split size, encryption method, password, etc.
Drag and drop the files and folders you want to compress into the app window or icon. Alternatively, you can right-click on the items and choose Services > Compress with Keka.
Keka will create a RAR file in the same location as the original items. You can rename it or move it as you wish.
How to extract RAR files on Mac OS X
To extract RAR files on your Mac, you need a decompression tool that can handle the RAR format. One of the best free options is The Unarchiver, which is a simple and fast app that can open almost any type of archive file. Here are the steps to use The Unarchiver to extract RAR files on your Mac:
Download and install The Unarchiver from its official website or from the Mac App Store.
Launch The Unarchiver from your Applications folder or Dock.
Select The Unarchiver > Preferences from the menu bar.
Check the box next to Rar Archive under the Archive Formats tab.
Choose where you want to extract the files under the Extraction tab. You can also enable other options such as opening extracted files, deleting archives, etc.
Close the Preferences window and quit The Unarchiver.
Double-click on the RAR file you want to extract. If it is password-protected, you will be prompted to enter the password.
The Unarchiver will extract the files to the location you specified in the Preferences. You can access them as normal files and folders.
Advantages of using RAR files
RAR files are one of the most popular archive formats in the world, and for good reasons. They offer several advantages over other archive formats such as ZIP, 7Z, TAR, etc. Here are some of the benefits of using RAR files:
Better compression ratio: RAR files can achieve higher compression rates than most other archive formats, especially for large and complex files. This means that RAR files can save more disk space and reduce download time compared to other formats.
Strong encryption and password protection: RAR files can be encrypted with AES-256, which is one of the most secure encryption algorithms available. RAR files can also be protected with a password, which adds another layer of security to your data.
Splitting and recovery features: RAR files can be split into smaller parts, which can be useful for storing or transferring large files. RAR files can also be created with recovery records, which can help repair corrupted or damaged archives.
Wide compatibility and support: RAR files are supported by many software applications and platforms, including Windows, Mac OS X, Linux, Android, iOS, etc. You can easily create and extract RAR files using various tools and apps.
Conclusion
RAR files are a great way to compress and decompress multiple files and folders on your Mac. They offer better compression ratio, strong encryption and password protection, splitting and recovery features, and wide compatibility and support. To create RAR files on your Mac, you can use Keka, a free and powerful compression tool that supports various archive formats. To extract RAR files on your Mac, you can use The Unarchiver, a simple and fast decompression tool that can open almost any archive format.
I hope this article has helped you understand how to create and extract RAR files on your Mac. If you have any questions or comments, please feel free to leave them below. Thank you for reading!
FAQs
How to password-protect RAR files on Mac OS X?
To password-protect RAR files on your Mac, you can use Keka and follow these steps:
Select the compression format as RAR from the drop-down menu at the top right corner of the app window.
Click on the lock icon next to the compression format.
Enter your desired password in the Password field. You can also choose the encryption method from the Cipher menu.
Drag and drop the files and folders you want to compress into the app window or icon.
Keka will create a password-protected RAR file in the same location as the original items.
How to split RAR files into parts on Mac OS X?
To split RAR files into parts on your Mac, you can use Keka and follow these steps:
Select the compression format as RAR from the drop-down menu at the top right corner of the app window.
Click on the split icon next to the compression format.
Select a predefined split size from the Split size menu or enter a custom size in MB or GB.
Drag and drop the files and folders you want to compress into the app window or icon.
Keka will create a RAR file split into parts in the same location as the original items. The parts will have extensions such as .part1.rar, .part2.rar, etc.
How to fix corrupted or damaged RAR archives on Mac OS X?
To fix corrupted or damaged RAR archives on your Mac, you can use The Unarchiver and follow these steps:
Launch The Unarchiver from your Applications folder or Dock.
Select The Unarchiver > Preferences from the menu bar.
Check the box next to Rar Archive under the Archive Formats tab.
Choose Ask for confirmation under the When archive is corrupted option.
Close the Preferences window and quit The Unarchiver.
Double-click on the corrupted or damaged RAR file you want to fix. If it is password-protected, you will be prompted to enter the password.
The Unarchiver will attempt to extract the files and notify you if there are any errors or warnings. You can choose to ignore, retry, or abort the extraction process.
If the extraction is successful, you can access the files as normal. If not, you may need to use another tool or contact the source of the archive for help.
How to open RAR files on Mac OS X without installing any software?
If you don't want to install any software on your Mac to open RAR files, you can use an online service that can extract RAR files in your browser. One of the best options is B1 Online Archiver, which is a free and secure web app that can handle various archive formats. Here are the steps to use B1 Online Archiver to open RAR files on your Mac:
Go to the B1 Online Archiver website using your preferred browser.
Click on the Browse button and select the RAR file you want to open from your Mac.
Wait for the file to upload and process. If it is password-protected, you will be asked to enter the password.
You will see a list of files and folders inside the RAR archive. You can preview them by clicking on them or download them by clicking on the Download button next to them.
You can also download the entire archive as a ZIP file by clicking on the Download as ZIP button at the top right corner of the page.
How to create RAR files on Mac OS X without installing any software?
If you don't want to install any software on your Mac to create RAR files, you can use an online service that can compress files and folders into RAR archives in your browser. One of the best options is CloudConvert, which is a free and versatile web app that can convert and compress various types of files. Here are the steps to use CloudConvert to create RAR files on your Mac:
Go to the CloudConvert website using your preferred browser.
Click on the Select Files button and choose the files and folders you want to compress from your Mac. You can also drag and drop them into the page.
Select RAR as the output format from the drop-down menu at the top right corner of the page.
Click on the cog icon next to the output format to adjust the compression settings. You can choose the compression level, password, split size, etc.
Click on the Start Conversion button and wait for the process to finish.
You will see a link to download your RAR file. You can also save it to your cloud storage service such as Dropbox, Google Drive, etc.
This is the end of my article. I hope you enjoyed reading it and learned something new. If you have any feedback or suggestions, please let me know in the comments section below. Thank you for your time and attention!
: [Keka - The macOS file archiver](https://www.keka.io/en/) : [The Unarchiver Top Free Unarchiving Software for macOS](https://theunarchiver.com/) : [B1 Free Archiver](https://b1.org/online) : [CloudConvert](https://cloudconvert.com/) dcd2dc6462