Open .RAR, .ZIP, .CAB, .ACE, .ARJ, .7z and other archive formats

The most popular archive is the ZIP format. So how do you open the other archive file formats such as .RAR, .CAB, .ACE, .7z, .TAR, .ARJ, .LZH, .GZ, etc.

The WinZip program is pretty much a standard installation in all my computers including the one at work. When I got my computer replaced at work, our IT department installed WinZip in the computer before it was even delivered to me. When I bought a new computer last year, one of the installation CDs had WinZip in it for me to install.

WinZip can open the ZIP archive format but what about the other archive formats like .RAR, .CAB, .ACE, .7z, .TAR, .ARJ, .LZH, .GZ, . UUE, .BZ2, etc?

I can name two good programs which can compress and decompress many archive formats other than .ZIP.

1. WinRAR

WinRAR is a popular program which is used to decompress many archive formats. Its strongest point is that it has an easy to use and attractive interface. WinRAR however is not completely free. You can try it for free for a number of days but it would prompt you to buy the product after that.

 

You can download WinRAR through its official website Win-RAR.

 

2. 7-Zip

7-Zip is a software which can also decompress many archive formats. Unlike WinRAR, 7-Zip is completely free as it is an open source software. Although it may lack in the looks department, it’s still very reliable and very easy to use.

 

You can download 7-Zip at their official website 7-Zip.org.

 

If you have any questions regarding the unpacking or opening of archive files, don’t hesitate to use the comment section below so that everyone can benefit!