RAR ( R oshal Ar chive) is an archive file format which allows you to compress files, span files, and recover data. It is one of the most popular compressing file formats after.ZIP which is the most common in Windows 10. Think of a RAR folder just like any other folder which may have many other folders inside it. However, unlike a normal folder, you need special software to open RAR files in order to extract out the contents.

RAR files - 1

RAR files

There are several programs available for you to open RAR files and even make some. Some are paid and some are free but they all perform the same functions. We will list all the software below and you can choose which one is most suited to you.

Using 7-Zip:

7-Zip is a free open source software which allows you to open RAR and other compressing file formats. This is used by the majority of the users because it is free of cost and gets the work done easily. There are several other cool features as well such as compressing files with passwords etc.

Extracting using 7-ZIP on Windows 10 - 2

Extracting using 7-ZIP

You can navigate to the official site of 7-Zip and download the version according to your Windows type. After installing 7-Zip, restart your computer. Now right-click on the RAR file and you will see a context menu of 7-Zip. Hover over it and click Open archive .

Using WinRAR:

Another popular option for several users is using WinRAR for opening/decompressing RAR files. 7-Zip is mostly focused on creating .Zip files but WinRAR is more towards the RAR format. It is not free even though the ‘trial finished’ message never does anything so you can keep using it.

WinRAR utility on Windows 10 - 3

WinRAR utility

You can navigate to the official site of WinRAR and download the software according to your operating system and language. It has support for Windows, Linux, and Mac OSX. Since WinRAR is the default application for opening RAR files, it will probably take ownership of the file association. There will also be options in the context menu whenever you right-click on any compressed file.

Using PeaZip:

A new entry in compressing software business is PeaZip. This software is also free like 7-Zip and allows you open and extract RAR, TAR, and ZIP archives without any hassle. It has a high compression ratio and the full list of supported archive formats is over 180.

PeaZip application on Windows 10 - 4

PeaZip application

You can download the application directly from its official website and use it to open the RAR archives. The software is open source so you can use it for both private and professional use. The method of creating archives from simple formats is relatively easy too.

Runner-ups:

  • WinZip is (or was) the most popular compression utility used in Windows. It gets all the work done with minimal effort but it is paid.
  • B1 Free Archiver is also a new entry in the compressing world. Since it is new, it is free for all users.

How to Fix “Printer is in an error state” Issue?

The error “ WinRAR Error: Next Volume Is Required ” usually appears when you’re extracting a multi-part RAR archive and WinRAR can’t find (or can’t correctly identify) the next file in the sequence . This often happens when a volume is missing , stored in a different folder , or renamed in a way that breaks the archive’s expected order .

How to Open RAR files in Windows? - 5

In this guide, we’ll go over the most reliable fixes confirmed by affected users, along with what each method is doing behind the scenes so you can choose the right one for your situation.

Important: To extract multi-volume archives, you should always start extraction from the first file in the set. This is usually file.part1.rar , or (in older sets) the main .rar file that comes before .r01 , .r02 , and so on.

1. Download and Place the Missing RAR File

WinRAR needs all parts of a multi-volume archive to complete extraction. This error usually appears when one of the volumes in a set like .part2.rar , .r01 , .r02 , .001 , and similar naming formats is missing . Downloading the missing volume and placing it in the same folder as the other parts allows WinRAR to continue extracting normally .

  1. Look at the error message or review the list of archive parts in the folder.
  2. Identify which volume is missing (for example, part2.rar , .r02 , .001 , etc.).
  3. Go back to the website or source where you downloaded the archive.
  4. Locate and download the exact missing file using the same naming format as the others.
  5. Make sure the new file name matches the pattern of the rest. Example: If you have file.part1.rar and file.part3.rar , the missing one must be file.part2.rar .
  6. Move the downloaded missing volume into the same folder as the other archive parts.
  7. Confirm that all parts are in a single folder before extracting.
  8. Right-click the first file in the series (usually part1 or the main .rar file) and select Extract Here or Extract to Folder .
  9. WinRAR should now detect all volumes and continue extraction normally .

2. Manually Browse & Select the Next Volume

Use this method only if the next volume already exists , but WinRAR is failing to detect it automatically. This can happen due to incorrect naming , the file being in a different location , or a temporary file access issue. Manually browsing helps WinRAR locate the correct volume and resume extraction without interruption .

  1. Right-click the first file in the series (usually .rar or part1.rar ) and select Extract Here or Extract to Folder .
  2. When WinRAR cannot find the next volume, it will show the “ Next Volume Is Required ” message.
  3. A small window will appear, allowing you to manually select the next volume .
  4. Use the file explorer window to locate the folder where the other archive parts are saved.
  5. Select the next part based on the naming order (example: select file.part2.rar after file.part1.rar ).
  6. Make sure the selected file matches the naming format of the archive (no extra characters like (1) and no mismatched numbering).
  7. WinRAR will resume extraction using the selected volume .
  8. If additional volumes are missing or stored separately, WinRAR may prompt you again. Repeat the same process until extraction completes.

3. Rename the RAR files in Order

WinRAR relies on a proper naming sequence (such as file.part1.rar , file.part2.rar , file.part3.rar ) to extract multi-volume archives. If a file is named incorrectly, contains extra characters, or is out of order, WinRAR may fail to locate the next volume and show this error. Renaming the files correctly helps WinRAR follow the sequence and extract the archive without interruptions .

Note: Renaming only changes the file name , not the file contents. The goal is to restore the correct sequence so WinRAR can detect the next volume.

  1. Go to the folder where all the RAR files are saved.
  2. Make sure all parts of the archive are present and stored in the same folder .
  3. Check how the parts are currently named . Common patterns include:
file.part1.rar, file.part2.rar, file.part3.rar
file.rar, file.r01, file.r02, file.r03
  1. Look for files that don’t match the expected numbering pattern (for example, file.part01.rar , file.part1(1).rar , or unrelated names).
  2. Rename each file so it follows the same order without extra characters or mismatched numbering. Example:
Incorrect: file.part1.rar, file.part3.rar, file.part2(1).rar
Correct: file.part1.rar, file.part2.rar, file.part3.rar
  1. Make sure the text before the number is exactly the same for all files.
  2. Only the last part number should change.
  3. Right-click the first file in the series (usually part1.rar or the main .rar file) and select Extract Here .
  4. WinRAR should now recognize the sequence and continue extraction normally .

If you still get the same prompt: the archive set is likely incomplete (a part was never downloaded or was removed), or one of the volumes is corrupt and must be re-downloaded from the original source.