Compressed archives are a convenient way to bundle multiple files together. Here is how to handle the two most common types.

ZIP files — built into Windows

Windows 10 and 11 handle ZIP files without any extra software.

  • Preview contents: Double-click the ZIP file to open it like a folder and see what is inside.
  • Extract all files: Right-click the ZIP file and choose 'Extract All'. Choose a destination folder and click 'Extract'. A new folder will appear with all the files inside.
  • Extract individual files: Open the ZIP by double-clicking, then drag the files you need to any folder.

Windows 11 (version 23H2 and later) also natively supports TAR, 7z, and some other formats directly in File Explorer.

RAR files — need a free tool

RAR is a proprietary format not built into Windows. You need a third-party application. Two popular, safe, and free options are 7-Zip (completely free and open-source, available from 7-zip.org) and WinRAR (free to use indefinitely — the trial reminder can be dismissed).

After installing either tool, right-click the RAR file and you will see new options in the context menu, such as 'Extract Here' (extracts to the same folder) or 'Extract to [folder name]' (creates a new subfolder).

Password-protected archives

If an archive is password-protected, you will be prompted to enter the password when extracting. The password must come from the person or website that provided the archive — there is no way to bypass it legitimately if you do not have the password.

Archive is corrupt or won't open

A corrupted download is the most common cause of extraction errors. Try downloading the file again. If you received it by email and it is still corrupted, ask the sender to resend it.

Questions about a specific file format? Ask us.