How to Delete Files Inside a Compressed RAR File

Deleting files inside a compressed RAR file can be a straightforward process when done correctly, especially if you have terabytes worth of RAR files and want to reduce storage space. This guide will walk you through the steps to delete unwanted files, re-compress the archive, and ensure you have enough space to avoid any issues.

Native Recognition in Windows 11

With the latest updates, RAR archive files are natively recognized as folders in Windows 11. To delete a file, simply double-click on the RAR file to open it, and then select and delete the files you no longer need. However, this process requires at least as much temporary space as the size of the archive. For a 1TB RAR file, you would need an additional 1TB of available space to handle the extraction and re-compression process.

Deleting Files Inside a RAR Archive

Method 1: Using WinRAR

Install WinRAR: Download and install the software from the official website. Open the RAR File: Right-click on the RAR file and select Extract to Folder. Select the Files to Delete: Navigate to the extracted folder and delete the files you don't want. Recompress the Remaining Files: Select the remaining files, right-click, and choose Compress to New RAR File. Name the new file with a preferred filename. Delete the Original RAR File: Once you have verified that the new RAR file contains only the desired files, you can delete the original RAR file to save space.

Method 2: Using Command Line with RAR

Install RAR Command Line: Ensure that you have the RAR command-line tools installed. Extract the Files: Use the command rar x yourfile.rar to extract the files. Delete Unwanted Files: Remove the files you don't need from the extracted folder. Recompress the Remaining Files: Use the command rar a newfile.rar remainingfile1 remainingfile2 to re-compress the remaining files. Delete the Original RAR File: Once you have verified the new RAR file, delete the original RAR file.

Method 3: Using 7-Zip

Install 7-Zip: Download and install 7-Zip from the official website. Extract the Files: Right-click on the RAR file and select Extract Here. Delete Unwanted Files: Go to the extracted folder and delete the files you don’t want. Recompress the Remaining Files: Select the remaining files, right-click, and choose Create RAR Archive. Name the new file with a preferred filename. Delete the Original RAR File: Once you have verified the new RAR file, delete the original RAR file.

Key Considerations

Backup: Always keep a backup of important files before deleting them to prevent any potential data loss. Batch Processing: If you manage many RAR files, consider writing a script to automate the extraction, deletion, and recompression process. Disk Space: Ensure you have enough disk space before starting the process, as the temporary space required can be as much as the original file size.

By following these steps, you can effectively reduce the size of your RAR files by removing unwanted files and re-compressing them.