RAR to ZIP Converter

RAR files turn up in downloads, game mods, shared course materials and old backups, and they are popular because they compress well and split neatly into parts. Opening one is another matter. Many built-in file tools on computers, tablets and phones handle ZIP but not RAR, so a .rar attachment often means installing an extra app before anyone can see what is inside.

ZIP has the opposite reputation. Its specification has been published by PKWARE for decades in the APPNOTE document, which let every operating system build in support. A double click on a ZIP opens it on almost any device. Converting a RAR to ZIP therefore costs a little file size and removes the obstacle for everyone you send it to.

There is also a practical reason on the receiving side. Upload forms, learning platforms and support portals often accept ZIP attachments and reject RAR, and some company mail filters block archive types they cannot inspect. Sending ZIP avoids those refusals without asking anyone to change their settings.

The converter unpacks the RAR on the server and packs every file into a new ZIP. Folder structure is kept, and so are the original modified dates of the files, so a project folder or a photo collection looks the same after unzipping as before. Hidden system entries such as .DS_Store, Thumbs.db and __MACOSX folders are skipped, since they only clutter the archive.

Compression starts at Normal, a good balance of speed and size. Maximum makes text, documents and code smaller at the cost of time; photos and videos are already compressed and barely change at any level. Store packs files without compressing them, which is fastest. The technical layout of the RAR side is described in RARLAB's RAR 5.0 technical note.

If something inside the RAR is damaged, the converter stops with an error rather than producing a ZIP with missing or broken files. RAR archives can carry recovery records for repairing small faults; in that case, repairing the archive in WinRAR first and converting the repaired copy usually works.

Each uploaded file can be up to 95 MB, and up to 20 files fit in one batch, which also covers multi-part RAR archives whose parts stay under that size. The ZIP that comes out can contain large files: the ZIP64 extension, part of the same PKWARE specification, removes the classic format's size limit shown below, and current unzip tools read it.

If the finished ZIP is meant for email, check its size against the recipient's attachment limit first. A large archive is usually better shared through a cloud drive link, or split into smaller ZIPs by converting the files in groups.

An encrypted RAR needs its password to be converted; type it under Current password and it is used only for this conversion. The new ZIP has no password unless you set one under New password. When you do, AES-256 encryption is selected, which is strong and opens in current versions of Windows, macOS, 7-Zip and WinRAR. ZipCrypto is offered only for very old unzip tools and is weak.

Uploaded archives are deleted as soon as they are processed and the ZIP is removed 30 minutes after it is ready. Other archive formats, such as 7Z and TAR.GZ, convert through the Archive Converter, and you can bundle loose files into a new ZIP with Zip Files.