5 Best Tools to Extract RAR Files on Windows 11 (Free and Paid)

Quick Tips

• WinRAR and WinZip have been the most popular choices that offer a free and paid version of their software.
• You may employ some other tools as well, 7-Zip, Unarchiver One RAR, and AukZip, to get the job done.
• There are many free or paid tools available. Before downloading one on your PC, make sure that you look at the feature set.

1. WinRAR: The Most Popular Tool

Whenever we talk of RAR file extraction tools, WinRAR immediately comes to mind. It is one of the oldest and most reliable tools for this task. It is compatible with both Windows 11 and Windows 10. It is available in 50 languages and both 32-bit and 64-bit.

Here’s how to use it.

Step 1: Download and install WinRAR on your computer.

Step 2: After installing WinRAR, double-click on the RAR file you wish to extract. The RAR file on your system will have the WinRAR icon.

Step 3: Click Open to see the contents of the RAR file.

Step 4: After seeing all your files, select the file you want to extract and click on Extract To to choose a location on your PC.

Step 5: Select the location of your system where you want the extracted file to be saved. Then, click Ok at the bottom-right corner.

Price: Free, Pro Verison: $29 (lifetime subscription)

Note: WinRAR offers a 40-day trial. However, you can continue using WinRAR for free after the trial ends. Click on Use Evaluation Copy when you use the tool for the first time.

2. WinZip – The Perfect Alternative to WinRAR

Our next suggestion is WinZip. Like WinRAR, you can choose a free trial or a paid subscription. It supports all major formats, such as Zip, Zipx, RAR, 7z, TAR, GZIP, VHD, XZ, POSIX TAR, etc. For individuals and organizations dealing with sensitive data, Secure File Transfer Protocol (SFTP) provides increased file transfer security.

Step 1: Download and install WinZip.

Step 2: After installing WinZip, double-click on the RAR file in your system that you want to exact.

The RAR file will have the WinZip icon.

Step 3: Select your preferences to extract the RAR file. We have selected No, just show me its contents.

Step 4: After you see all your files, select the file you want to extract. Then, click the down arrow next to Unzip To on the right side.

Step 5: Select the file location on our PC  and then click on Unzip at the bottom-right corner.

Price: Free, Pro Verison: $35.34 (Standard), $58.94 (Pro)

For the Enterprise version, contact the WinZip support team.

Note: WinZip offers a free trial of 21 days. Once you install the software, click on Use Evaluation Version when you use it for the first time

3. 7-Zip: A Free Open-Source Option

Speaking of alternatives to the usuals, we now have 7-Zip. It supports all file formats, but most importantly, 7-Zip offers a high compression ratio in 7z format with LZMA and LZMA2 compression. Compared to WinZip, 7-Zip is available in over 87 languages.

Step 1: Download and install 7-Zip.

Step 2: After installing it, right-click on your RAR file and then select Show More Options.

Step 3: Click on 7-Zip from the list of more options.

Step 4: You can now choose to Extract Files or click on Extract Here to select a location for saving extracted files.

Price: Free

4. AukZip – RAR Zip: The Cheapest Option for Pro Features

Another app available in the Microsoft Store is AukZip – RAR Zip. The free version offers features like previewing the images in archives without extracting, batch compressing files, batch extracting & decompressing specified files and archives, and protected archives with AES-256 encryption strongly.

The paid version offers additional features, such as repairing and unzipping broken files and extracting a single file from a group of files.

Step 1: Download and install AukZip on your Windows PC.

Step 2: Drag and drop your ZIP file in the AukZip window.

Step 3: Select the location for extracting your files and then click on Extract All.

Price: Free, Pro Verison: $4.99/year (billed annually), $9.99 (lifetime access)

5. Unarchiver One RAR and ZIP File Manager: A Cleaner Layout

As the name suggests, this tool allows you to add and extract RAR files on your Windows PC. It is available as an app on the Microsoft Store and offers a cleaner layout, making it more intuitive. Do note that it has limited language support of up to 11 languages. However, it supports all file formats.

Step 1: Download and install Unarchiver on your Windows PC.

Step 2: Click the Extract menu on the left pane. Click Add Archives and then select the zipped file to be extracted.

Step 3: Click Extract All, then select the location for the extract.

Price: Free