How to Open RAR, 7z and TAR.GZ Files Without Installing Anything
Windows and macOS open ZIP files on their own, but other archive formats are common too: RAR for downloads and shared folders, 7z for well-compressed backups, TAR.GZ for software and server files. Without the right program, double-clicking them does nothing useful. You don't have to install anything to get at the files inside.
Open an archive
- Open Unzip Files.
- Add the archive: ZIP, RAR, 7z, TAR, TAR.GZ, GZ, BZ2 or XZ.
- See the list of files and folders inside.
- Save the files you need, one by one or all at once.
For RAR specifically, Open RAR opens both RAR 4 and RAR 5 archives in your browser, without WinRAR.
The formats in brief
- ZIP: the universal format. Every operating system opens it.
- RAR: popular for downloads and multi-part archives; normally needs WinRAR or a similar app.
- 7z: often compresses better than ZIP; the 7-Zip program's own format.
- TAR: bundles files together without compressing them; common on Linux.
- TAR.GZ / TGZ, TAR.BZ2, TAR.XZ: a TAR bundle compressed with gzip, bzip2 or xz; standard for software source code and server backups.
- GZ, BZ2, XZ alone: a single compressed file.
Can't tell what a file is?
Sometimes a file has no extension, or the wrong one: a download saved as file or .bin, an email attachment renamed by a system. The File Type Detector identifies a file from its contents, not its name. It reads only the first 64 KB, so it's instant even for huge files. If it turns out to be an archive, rename it with the right extension, or open it directly in the unzip tool.
Multi-part archives
Large archives are sometimes split into parts: archive.part1.rar, archive.part2.rar, or archive.7z.001, archive.7z.002. All the parts are needed. Numbered parts (.001, .002…) can be joined back into the original file with Join Split Files, then opened.
Safety with downloaded archives
Archives from unknown sources can contain harmful programs. Opening an archive in your browser to look at its contents is safe: nothing inside is run. But:
- Don't run programs (
.exe,.msi,.bat,.scr,.js,.vbs,.app) from archives you don't trust. - Be wary of documents with macros, such as Office files that ask you to "enable content".
- Watch for double extensions, like
invoice.pdf.exe.
Password-protected archives
Encrypted archives ask for the password. If you don't have it, ask the sender; there's no legitimate shortcut around encryption.
Creating archives
The tools here open many formats but create ZIP, which every computer can open. To share files, make a ZIP with Create ZIP Files, optionally with an AES-256 password.
Common questions
Can I open archives on my phone? Yes. The tools work in mobile browsers; extracted files go to your downloads.
Is there a size limit? There's no server limit, because nothing is uploaded. Very large archives need memory on your device.
Are my files uploaded? No. Archives are opened in your browser and never sent anywhere.
Summary
- One tool opens ZIP, RAR, 7z, TAR and compressed TAR files.
- Identify unknown files by their contents.
- Never run programs from archives you don't trust.