# .rar File Opener **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [March 21, 2012, 2:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rar-file-opener/616408 "2012-03-21T14:36:43Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 12\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![TheFaerie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c57346/32.png) [@TheFaerie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TheFaerie)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2012, 2:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rar-file-opener/616408/1 "2012-03-21T14:36:43Z")
We get .rar files from our clients in China and I need a way to open them. Does anyone have any advice on a good, safe source for this? ---
**Author:** ![Sethcrzygy86](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c2a13f/32.png) [@Sethcrzygy86](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sethcrzygy86)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2012, 2:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rar-file-opener/616408/2 "2012-03-21T14:40:17Z")
7-Zip is great and free ---
**Author:** ![ultrafilter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/3d9bf3/32.png) [@ultrafilter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ultrafilter)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2012, 2:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rar-file-opener/616408/3 "2012-03-21T14:45:56Z")
> [@Sethcrzygy86](#): > > 7-Zip is great and free That’s what I came in to recommend. ---
**Author:** ![firstname](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/7ab992/32.png) [@firstname](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/firstname)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2012, 2:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rar-file-opener/616408/4 "2012-03-21T14:48:54Z")
I use [http://www.extractnow.com/](http://www.extractnow.com/) for the ability to extract multiple files, and place them in a new folder. ---
**Author:** ![njtt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ecd19e/32.png) [@njtt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/njtt)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2012, 2:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rar-file-opener/616408/5 "2012-03-21T14:50:07Z")
I’ve been OK with [RAR Knife](http://www.rar-file-open-knife.com/rar_file_open_knife_update.php?UID=240). ---
**Author:** ![TheFaerie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c57346/32.png) [@TheFaerie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TheFaerie)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2012, 2:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rar-file-opener/616408/6 "2012-03-21T14:52:13Z")
Thanks everyone. I went with 7-zip and it worked well. I knew I’d get a great answer from you all. ---
**Author:** ![redtail23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/3e96dc/32.png) [@redtail23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/redtail23)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2012, 2:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rar-file-opener/616408/7 "2012-03-21T14:52:24Z")
> [@ultrafilter](#): > > That’s what I came in to recommend. Me, too. ---
**Author:** ![SunSandSuffering](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ee7513/32.png) [@SunSandSuffering](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SunSandSuffering)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2012, 3:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rar-file-opener/616408/8 "2012-03-21T15:46:41Z")
I know question has been answered but [WinRAR / RARlabs](http://www.rarlab.com/) is a good place to start. ---
**Author:** ![engineer\_comp\_geek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/engineer_comp_geek/32/504_2.png) [@engineer\_comp\_geek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/engineer_comp_geek)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2012, 4:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rar-file-opener/616408/9 "2012-03-21T16:02:56Z")
> [@SunSandSuffering](#): > > I know question has been answered but [WinRAR / RARlabs](http://www.rarlab.com/) is a good place to start. Note that WinRAR isn’t free. After the trial period (30 days? however long it is), you are supposed to either pay for it or remove it. I know the older versions would just nag you every time you used it after that but would remain functional. I’m not sure if that is still the case. ---
**Author:** ![Yorikke](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yorikke/32/4335_2.png) [@Yorikke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yorikke)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2012, 4:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rar-file-opener/616408/10 "2012-03-21T16:26:55Z")
> [@engineer\_comp\_geek](#): > > Note that WinRAR isn’t free. After the trial period (30 days? however long it is), you are supposed to either pay for it or remove it. I know **the older versions would just nag you every time you used it after that but would remain functional. I’m not sure if that is still the case.** Yes, it is - they just shame you for not paying, but the program still works. Joe ---
**Author:** ![thewgill](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/977dab/32.png) [@thewgill](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thewgill)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2012, 7:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rar-file-opener/616408/11 "2012-03-21T19:18:40Z")
I’m late to the game, but will add more weight to the 7-Zip recommendations. Excellent software. ---
**Author:** ![Dervorin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/eb8c5e/32.png) [@Dervorin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dervorin)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2012, 12:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rar-file-opener/616408/12 "2012-03-22T12:43:19Z")
A friend of mine recently came to me with the same question, but she had already tried to open the file in Notepad and was very amused by the fact that the first line of a .rar file reads Rar! Rarrrrr, ye scurvy scallawags! Anyway. 7-Zip is excellent software. I see no one else has mentioned it before, so I thought I’d put that out there. 😉