How to Join and Extract .rar Files on a Mac: A Comprehensive Guide

Joining and extracting .rar files on a Mac can be accomplished using several methods. This article details two reliable approaches to help you manage your .rar files easily and effectively. Whether you prefer using user-friendly software or command-line tools, this guide covers everything you need to know.

Method 1: Using The Unarchiver

For a straightforward, user-friendly experience, The Unarchiver is your best bet. Here's a step-by-step guide to using it:

You can find it on the Mac App Store or download it from their official website. Ensure that you get the latest version for optimal performance.

Once downloaded, open it and follow the on-screen instructions to install.

Launch The Unarchiver by clicking on its icon in the Applications folder.

If your .rar files are split into multiple parts (e.g., part1.rar, part2.rar), make sure all parts are in the same folder.

Drag the primary .rar file (usually named part1.rar or simply file.rar) into The Unarchiver. Alternatively, right-click on the file and select "Extract."

Notes:
Ensure that all parts of the .rar files are in the same directory for successful extraction. If you encounter errors, check that the files are not corrupted and are named correctly.

Method 2: Using Terminal with unrar

If you have some command-line experience, using Terminal with the unrar tool is a powerful method. Here’s how to do it:

If you don't have Homebrew installed, you can add it by running the following command in Terminal:

bash/codebr/bin/bash -c "$(curl -fsSL )"

Once Homebrew is installed, run the following command to install unrar:

bash/codebrbrew install unrar

Use the cd command to navigate to the folder containing your .rar files. For example:

bash/codebrcd /path/to/your/rar/files

Run the following command to extract and join the parts:

bash/codebrunrar x part1.rar

This command will automatically join the parts and extract the files. Ensure that all parts of the .rar files are in the same directory for successful extraction.

Additional Tools: Using Keka

For those who need more flexibility, Keka is a powerful alternative that supports a wide range of file formats. Not only can Keka handle .rar files, but it can also extract from formats like 7Z, ZIP, ZIPX, TAR, GZIP, BZIP2, XZ, LZIP, DMG, ISO, BROTLI, ZSTD, LRZIP, LZMA, EXE, CAB, WIM, MSI, PAX, JAR, WAR, IPA, XIP, APK, APPX, XPI, WPRESS, IS3, CPGZ, CPIO, CPT, SPK. Additionally, it can combine segmented files, such as .rar.001, .rar.002, and so on.

Conclusion

Using either The Unarchiver for a simple, graphical interface or Terminal with the unrar tool for more advanced commands, you can easily join and extract .rar files on your Mac. With the added flexibility of Keka, you have multiple options to manage your compressed files efficiently.