Introduction#
A common scenario in a Linux environment: an archive is split into parts like "file.part1.rar", "file.part2.rar", and so on. In this situation, choosing the right tool and ensuring all parts are in the same directory can significantly simplify the process. Below, I explain how to extract such split RAR files using methods that are current as of 2025.
Features of the RAR Format#
The RAR archive format was developed by Eugene Roshal and is a proprietary format belonging to RARLab.
Due to its proprietary license, it is often provided as a "support package" in many Linux distributions; it requires extra steps compared to open-source formats like .zip, .tar.gz, or .tar.zst.
1️⃣ Extracting with unrar#
The official command-line tool unrar can directly handle split RAR archives. As of 2025, it is actively maintained in many distributions.
Installation#
- Debian/Ubuntu:
sudo apt update
sudo apt install unrar
- Fedora/RHEL:
sudo dnf install unrar
- Arch Linux:
sudo pacman -S unrar
Usage#
Ensure all part files are in the same folder and extract the first part as follows:
unrar x file.part1.rar
The command will automatically detect and process all subsequent parts that follow part1.
If the archive contains non-English characters and you see garbled output, try running the command with the LC_ALL=C locale.
2️⃣ Alternative Method with 7-Zip or 7zz#
The Linux versions of 7-Zip (like 7zz, p7zip-full) support split RAR archives. Compatibility has been particularly improved for the RAR5 format.
Installation#
sudo apt install p7zip-full
- For Arch Linux users:
sudo pacman -S p7zip
# or from AUR:
yay -S p7zip-full-bin
Usage#
7zz x file.part1.rar
This command will also detect the parts and complete the extraction, provided the appropriate package is installed.
In some distributions, the p7zip-full package may lack RAR support – in this case, unrar should be preferred.
3️⃣ Extracting with a Graphical Interface#
If you are a desktop user, extracting via your archive manager's right-click context menu might be sufficient. For example:
- File Roller (GNOME)
- Ark (KDE)
- Xarchiver (XFCE)
These tools often detect the other parts when you right-click on the .part1.rar file and select "Extract Here".
If one of the parts is missing or in a different directory, the extraction will fail or result in incomplete data.
Considering Alternative Formats#
If you are creating your own archives, it may be beneficial to prefer open formats like .zip, .tar.gz, .tar.xz, or .tar.zst. These do not have licensing restrictions and are directly supported on all Linux distributions.
Conclusion#
Split RAR files are no longer an obstacle on Linux. You can extract them with a few commands using tools like unrar or 7zz. When creating archives, preferring open compression formats increases both portability and seamless compatibility.
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