How to Decompress RAR Files on a Mac

The acronym RAR stands for 'recursive archive' and was created by Eugene Roshal in 1993. RAR files are compressed archives that can be used to store, send, and share files. They help reduce the overall size of a file, making it easy to send over the internet and store on your Mac.

If you've received or downloaded a RAR document, you'll realize that it doesn't quite open like a normal file. To access the contents of a RAR file, you'll need to use an app to decompress it first. One popular app for extracting RAR files is The Unarchiver, which can be installed from the official App Store on Mac.

To extract a file using The Unarchiver, simply drag and drop the RAR file onto the app icon or open the app and select 'File' > 'Open Archive' and then choose the RAR file. You can also use the command line to extract a RAR file by typing `unrar e filename.rar` in the Terminal.

Alternatively, you can also use Homebrew to install the unrar binary on your Mac. To do this, open the Terminal and type `brew install unrar`. Once installed, you can use the command `unrar e filename.rar` to extract a RAR file.

In addition to using an app or binary to extract RAR files, there are also two different ways you can decompress RAR files on a Mac. The first method is to use the built-in Archive Utility in macOS, which can be accessed by right-clicking on the RAR file and selecting 'Compressed' > 'Extract Here'. The second method is to use a third-party app like The Unarchiver, as mentioned earlier.

In conclusion, decompressing RAR files on a Mac is relatively easy. With the right tools and knowledge, you can extract the contents of a RAR file and access its contents.

Decompress rar files mac