Convert RAR to ZIP
To convert an unencrypted RAR to ZIP on a Mac, extract it into an empty folder, then compress that folder as ZIP. You can do this locally with Terminal and Finder. Kernir also offers Save As for creating a ZIP copy from an open RAR.
Renaming does not convert it
Changing Bundle.rar to Bundle.zip only changes the filename. The data inside is still in RAR format, so a program expecting ZIP may reject it. A real conversion reads the files from the RAR and writes them into a new ZIP.
You do not need to convert an archive just to read one document. If that is your goal, extract the one file you need. Conversion is useful when someone specifically needs ZIP, or when you want a copy that a ZIP-only tool can open.
Extract the RAR locally
Keep the original RAR. In Finder, make a new, empty folder inside Downloads called RAR conversion. Use a different name if that folder already exists.
Open Terminal from Applications › Utilities. If the RAR is in Downloads, run:
cd ~/Downloads
tar -tf "Bundle.rar"
tar -xvf "Bundle.rar" -C "RAR conversion"
Replace Bundle.rar with your filename. The first command lists the contents; the second extracts them into the folder you created. The Mac's tar can read unencrypted RAR archives. This workflow uses macOS's libarchive-based tool, not GNU tar on Linux.
Use an empty destination because extraction can replace matching paths. If the command reports an error, resolve it before creating the ZIP; a partly extracted folder is not a complete conversion. See opening RAR files on Mac for more detail.
Create the ZIP
In Finder, Control-click RAR conversion and choose Compress. This creates a ZIP containing that folder and its contents. Apple's Mac compression guide describes the built-in Compress action.
Alternatively, while Terminal is still in Downloads:
zip -r "Bundle-converted.zip" "RAR conversion"
Choose a new output name. The zip command can update an existing ZIP, which could leave old entries mixed with the new ones. The -r option includes files in subfolders.
This example deliberately adds an outer folder named RAR conversion. If the RAR already contained Project, the ZIP will contain RAR conversion/Project. To avoid that extra level in Finder, open the extraction folder, select its contents and compress those instead. Check which layout the recipient expects.
Check the result
List the ZIP and test whether its entries can be read:
unzip -l "Bundle-converted.zip"
unzip -t "Bundle-converted.zip"
The listing lets you check the folder layout. The test checks the ZIP's stored data; it does not prove that you selected every file from the original RAR. Compare the lists and open an important document from the result before removing any temporary files.
Converting archives repackages documents rather than converting their contents. A PDF stays a PDF. The resulting ZIP can still have a different size because the compression differs. Do not expect every archive-specific setting or item of filesystem metadata to carry across formats.
Use Save As in Kernir
Kernir reads RAR but does not write RAR. That still allows a ZIP copy:
The Mac download is coming soon. You can view the source and build instructions on GitHub. These steps describe the current app workflow.
- Choose File › Open… (⌘O) and open the RAR.
- Choose File › Save As… (⇧⌘S).
- Choose ZIP in the Format control and give the copy a new name and location.
- Save, then reopen the ZIP and check its contents.
Save As writes a new archive. Keep the RAR until you have checked that copy. To change the ZIP afterwards, see adding and removing files.
Password-protected RAR files
Kernir cannot currently decrypt encrypted RAR contents, so it cannot convert those contents to ZIP. The Terminal recipe above is for unencrypted RAR files too. A different extension or output format will not remove the need for compatible decryption.
Ask the sender for a ZIP, or use a RAR reader that supports the archive's encryption and for which you have the password. If you need the resulting ZIP to remain password-protected, set that explicitly in a compatible writer and verify it; the extraction-and-compression recipe here creates an unencrypted ZIP.
Kernir.dmg, signed and notarized. Requires macOS 14 or later.
Related guides
App steps were checked against current source code. Updated .
