How to Unzip RAR Files in Mac
The RAR Challenge on macOS
Ever been in that situation where someone sends you a RAR file and your Mac just stares at you blankly?
Happened to me last week when I downloaded something off the internet but alas I had to go on an adventure before I could actually use that.
Unlike our Windows friends who have WinRAR at their fingertips, we Mac users are left to fend for ourselves when it comes to this.
After a bit of googling, I found a clean and efficient solution. So let me save you the trouble!!
🍺 Step 1: Install RAR via Homebrew
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brew install rar
If you don’t have Homebrew installed what man I thought you were cool use the below command:
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/bin/bash -c "$(curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/Homebrew/install/HEAD/install.sh)"
📦 Step 2: Extract the RAR File
Navigate to your file location and run:
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rar x filename.rar
This will extract all contents to the current directory.
⚠️ Troubleshooting: “This software needs to be updated”
If you encounter this security message:
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This software needs to be updated. Contact the developer for more information.
Here’s the quick fix:
🔍 Step 1: Locate the RAR Executable
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which rar
🔓 Step 2: Remove the Quarantine Flag
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xattr -d com.apple.quarantine <path_to_rar>
▶️ Step 3: Try Again
Run the extraction command again and it should work.
️Creating Your Own RAR Archives
Now what good is having the power to just extract a rar file. When you can’t flex it by archiving stuff yourself?
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rar a archive.rar myfile.txt
🔒 Create a Password-Protected Archive
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rar a -p archive.rar myfiles/
You’ll be prompted to enter and confirm a password.
✂️ Create Split Archives
Useful for sharing large files:
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rar a -v10m archive.rar largefiles/
This creates 10MB chunks that can be easily shared.