Unzipping files is a common task on a daily basis, especially when you are working with files that are compressed. Mac OS is built with an inbuilt unzip utility that allows users to unzip files and extract their contents. However, it does not come with a built-in utility for opening and unpacking RAR files. In this article, we will discuss how to unzip RAR files on a Mac using third-party applications and code examples.
Introducing RAR files
RAR files are archive files that are used to compress large amounts of data in a small size. RAR is a proprietary compression format developed by Eugene Roshal. It is now widely used to compress and decompress files for transmission, storage, and archiving. RAR files are often used in conjunction with password encryption to protect the content from unauthorized access.
Mac OS Unzip Utility
Mac OS comes with a built-in utility that allows users to unzip files. This utility can handle the ZIP format, which is the most common format users encounter. To use it, you can simply right-click on the compressed file, select ‘Open With,' and choose the Archive Utility.
Archive Utility is an in-built utility built that allows you to extract compressed files from .zip, .dmg, .gz, and other formats. It’s quick and easy to use, but does not support the RAR archive format.
Unzipping RAR files on Mac
There are several third-party applications that you can use to unzip RAR files on your Mac. Here are three that are popular and easy to use:
- The Unarchiver
The Unarchiver is a free app that can extract RAR, Zip, Tar, 7-zip, and other archive file formats. The Unarchiver can also handle split archives, where a large archive has been broken up into smaller files. It supports password-protected archives, and all files are extracted to their original file names, preserving the folder structures.
To use The Unarchiver, follow these steps:
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Download The Unarchiver from the App Store or from the developer’s website. The App Store version is the most up-to-date and usually the easiest to install and update.
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Install The Unarchiver by dragging it from your Downloads folder to your Applications folder.
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Double-click The Unarchiver to start the app.
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Choose File > Open and select the RAR file that you want to extract.
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Wait for The Unarchiver to extract the files. The time it takes to extract the files depends on the size of the RAR file.
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Winzip
Winzip is a popular compression and file management application for Windows and Mac. It can handle RAR and other compressed file formats, and it supports encryption for added security. WinZip also has a range of features for managing files, including folder synchronization, backing up files, and sharing files with other users.
To use WinZip, follow these steps:
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Download the free trial version of WinZip from the WinZip website.
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Install WinZip by double-clicking the downloaded file.
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Launch WinZip from your Applications folder.
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Click ‘File,’ select ‘Open’ and navigate to the RAR file that you want to extract.
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Click ‘Extract.’
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UnrarX
UnrarX is another free application that you can use to extract RAR files on your Mac. It is a very lightweight app and easy to use. It can handle encrypted archives, multi-volume archives, and protected archives. UnrarX also allows you to preview the contents of an archive before extracting the files.
To use UnrarX, follow these steps:
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Download UnrarX from the developer’s website.
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Drag UnrarX to your Applications folder to install it.
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Double-click UnrarX to launch the application.
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Click ‘File’ and select ‘Open’ to browse to the RAR file you want to extract.
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Click ‘Extract.'
Mac OS Zip and Unzip utility codes
To unzip a .zip file using the terminal on a Mac, follow these steps:
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Open Terminal from the Applications -> Utilities folder.
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Navigate to the directory where the folder is located using the CD command.
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Type the command below to extract the contents of the compressed file:
unzip file_name.zip
To extract the contents of an encrypted zip file, use the command:
unzip -P password file_name.zip
To compress a folder using the terminal, follow the steps below:
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Open Terminal and navigate to the folder you want to compress.
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Run the following code:
zip -r compressed_folder_name.zip folder_name
In the above code, the compress command is ‘zip,' '-r' is an optional tag that stands for recursive, and ‘compressed_folder_name.zip’ is the name of the compressed folder, and ‘folder name’ is the name of the folder you want to compress.
Conclusion
Unzipping RAR files is a simple and easy process on Mac OS. There are many third-party applications that can handle RAR files, such as The Unarchiver, WinZip, and UnrarX. You can also use the terminal to zip and unzip files using simple code. The built-in archive utility in Mac OS can handle other file formats such as .zip, .dmg, and .gz files. With these tools, you can easily extract the contents of compressed files and use them as you need them.
here are some additional information about the previous topics:
Mac OS Unzip Utility
The Archive Utility is an in-built utility that is meant to extract ZIP files or other archive file formats on Mac OS. It is a basic tool that is sufficient if you don't need to handle RAR files. However, if you frequently encounter RAR files or other compressed archive file formats, it's advisable to use third-party applications that are designed for that purpose.
The Unarchiver is an excellent option if you want a free, lightweight, and fast application that can handle RAR files. It supports a wide range of archive file formats and can handle split and encrypted archives. WinZip is a powerful tool that comes with a range of features for managing files, but it comes with a cost. UnrarX is another great option if you need a simple and easy-to-use application.
Mac OS Zip and Unzip utility codes
The built-in Terminal app on Mac OS provides a way to interact with the command line and execute commands. The terminal app is powerful and can be used to execute a range of commands, including zip and unzip commands.
To execute commands using the terminal, you need to know the correct command syntax and the options and parameters used with the command. The command syntax for zip and unzip commands is relatively simple and easy to execute.
One thing to keep in mind when using the Terminal is that you need to navigate to the correct folder or directory before executing the commands. Using the 'CD' command, you can change directories to a different path. This is important since you want to be in the correct directory or folder when you execute the zip or unzip command.
In summary, using the Terminal to execute zip and unzip commands on Mac OS is a powerful way to handle compressed files. The syntax for executing the commands is straightforward and easy to remember, and there are numerous options and parameters that can be used to customize how the commands are executed. However, it does require some basic knowledge of the command line and the ability to navigate through folders using the 'CD' command.
Popular questions
- What is the best free application to use to extract RAR files on a Mac?
The Unarchiver is a popular free application that can extract RAR files on a Mac. It supports a wide variety of archive file formats, including encrypted and split archives, and it is fast and easy to use.
- Can the built-in Mac OS Archive Utility extract RAR files?
No, the Archive Utility in Mac OS can only extract ZIP, DMG, GZ, and other archive file formats, but it cannot extract RAR files.
- How do you use the Terminal to extract the contents of a ZIP file?
To extract the contents of a ZIP file using the Terminal on a Mac, navigate to the directory where the file is located using the 'cd' command, and then enter the command "unzip file_name.zip". This will extract the contents of the ZIP file.
- What is the command to compress a folder using the Terminal on a Mac?
To compress a folder using the Terminal on a Mac, navigate to the directory where the folder is located using the 'cd' command, and then enter the command "zip -r compressed_folder_name.zip folder_name". This will compress the folder into a ZIP file with the specified name.
- Does WinZip come with any additional features other than extracting RAR files on a Mac?
Yes, WinZip comes with many additional features, including file management features like backing up files, folder synchronization, and sharing files with other users. It also supports encryption for added security and can handle many other archive file formats in addition to RAR files.
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"Unarchiver"
