Updated 09 May. 2023

Get RAR files back in Windows and macOS

RAR recovery

Best 5 data recovery software for RAR, WinRAR Compressed Archive

Disk Drill
Free version, Pro version $89
Free recovery: Free recovery - 500 MB for Windows
Download
rateDisk Drill
666762
Undelete My Files Pro
Freeware
Free recovery: Freeware
Download
rateUndelete My Files Pro
3852
Salvagedata
Freeware
Free recovery: Freeware
Download
rateSalvagedata
3463
R-STUDIO
for Mac $79.99, for Mac Network $179.99, Technician $899.00
Free recovery: No free version
Download
rateR-STUDIO
57624
iBeesoft
Personal License $55.95, Family License $89.95, Company License $$299.95
Free recovery: Free scan & preview
Download
rateiBeesoft
43515

Summary review

windows icon Our Windows version Windows 10
time icon How long we tested 1 week
exam icon Number of tested tools 17

3 things to consider when choosing RAR recovery software

Wide file type support

Whether it’s pictures, documents, audio, or file types, it’s a good idea to select a recovery program that supports the retrieval of a wide range of file extensions. Once you’re done recovering your files this time around, you may need to use the program again in the future for a different file type.

High recovery rate

There’s no point in investing time, effort, and maybe even money into a data recovery program with mediocre chances of success. Make sure to do your research and choose one with a proven track record, making it all the more likely for you to get your lost files back.

File preview

There’s a good chance that when you attempt to recover files from a particular storage medium, there will be a whole lot of recoverable files to sift through on the results page. That’s why it helps if the program is equipped with a preview feature that allows you to get a glimpse of a file before recovering it.

Simple steps to recover deleted RAR, WinRAR Compressed Archive on Windows & Mac

Step 1:

Download the program to your Windows or macOS laptop and install it

Step 2:

Start the applicaiton and select the disk where you last saw the missing files

Step 3:

Cick the Recover button to start the scanning process

Step 4:

Select the files that you want to retrieve and click the Recover button again to restore the data

3 RAR loss prevention tips

1 Tip

Do not mess with unfamiliar files. Operating systems include lots of important files that may not seem familiar to you. These files could be vital to running the platform and tweaking or deleting them could lead to the OS becoming unstable and may cause you to incur data loss. That’s why it’s best to leave unfamiliar system files alone.

2 Tip

Keep food and drink away from your work computer. This one goes without saying, but you’d be surprised by the number of people who keep food and drinks dangerously close to their laptop or computer. No matter how careful you are, uncontrollable circumstances may occur that could cause a spill onto your machine, potentially compromising your data.

3 Tip

Create an image at the first sign of storage failure. If you notice that your storage device is starting to fail, you should immediately create a backup image of the medium so that you can attempt data recovery later. That way, you can preserve whatever information is currently on the drive before it incurs further data loss.

FAQ

The best way to recover RAR files from a memory card is to leverage a top-notch data recovery program, as it’s the most flexible and accessible retrieval method around. It’s worth noting, however, that this is ineffective if you used a “full” format on the card or it has become heavily damaged/compromised. For that, you’ll need to seek out a data recovery service.

For Windows, if you deleted the RAR file using the Delete key or right-click > Delete command, then you should be able to find it in the Recycle Bin. On Mac, deleted X files are moved to the Trash before being deleted permanently. If your file is not present in either of these tools, you’ll need to utilize a free data recovery program.

Deleted RAR files that cannot be found in the Windows Recycle Bin or Mac Trash can still be recovered using an effective data recovery program. Just make sure you stop using the drive they were in right away to avoid overwriting the deleted file. Alternatively, if you had File History enabled or created a System Restore point beforehand, you can use those methods.