How to open a RAR file on Android

RAR4 and RAR5, password-protected archives

RAR is the popular WinRAR archive format. Android cannot open it on its own, but the free XanderFiles app can: it shows the files inside and opens them right away, without extracting — RAR5 and password-protected archives included.

Get it on Google Play

Free · no ads · no sign-up · offline

RAR opened in XanderFiles — The same viewer in XanderFiles

What is this file

RAR archives carry collections of documents, scans, books and photos. XanderFiles extracts RAR with the 7-Zip code.

How to open it

Install XanderFiles from Google Play. It is free, with no ads and no sign-up.
Tap the .rar file wherever you have it: in Downloads, in Telegram, WhatsApp or in an email attachment.
When Android asks which app to use, choose XanderFiles. Or the other way round: open XanderFiles, tap “Open file” and pick the file in Downloads or Google Drive.
The list of files opens. Tap a file and it opens right away; for a password-protected archive the app asks for the password.

What you can do

RAR 1.5–5 archives, including password-protected ones
Open any file inside without extracting
Send a file from the archive to a messenger or Google Drive with “Share”
CBR comics open as archives
Also 7Z, ZIP, TAR, GZ, ISO and more

Good to know

It cannot create RAR archives — only WinRAR can.

Questions

Does XanderFiles open RAR5?

Yes, RAR5 as well as older RAR4.

Do I need to extract it?

No. Files open straight from the archive.

Is it free?

Yes. No ads, no sign-up, and it works offline.

Didn’t find an answer? Write to us

Other formats

Get it on Google Play

Free · no ads · no sign-up · offline