There are several reasons why RAR archives might get corrupted. Virus attacks, power outages, abruptly closing RAR files, etc are some of them. Losing a RAR archive containing files that you have worked on or collected over a while can be a scary sight. In such an event, you needn’t lose hope. Here are some of the best ways to repair corrupt RAR files.
How To Avoid RAR Files From Getting Corrupted
It is rightly said that “Prevention is better than cure”. If you are someone who frequently uses RAR files, here are some ways you can prevent them from getting corrupted or damaged –
– Close RAR Files Correctly
When closing RAR files, ensure that they are properly closed. While they are being closed, avoid shutting down your computer. Additionally, you should also check if all the processes using RAR files are closed.
– Refrain From Downloading RAR Files When the Internet is Slow
Often when we try to download RAR files with an unstable connection and they get stuck at downloading, it can lead to header corruption. Here, patience can be your best friend. You can wait till the time your internet connection becomes stable again and then proceed with downloading RAR files.
– Keep An Antivirus Handy
Quite like we have mentioned in many of our blogs, an Antivirus can be your most powerful weapon against malicious threats. With one such utility, you can rest assured that no virus or malicious threat will be able to cause any damage to your RAR files. Here, you must choose a robust, reliable, and feature-rich Antivirus.
– Avoid Opening Files During Power Fluctuations
Accessing, opening, or closing RAR files while there is power fluctuation can lead to files not getting closed properly. And, as we mentioned in the first point, this can lead to RAR files getting damaged.
Best Ways To Fix A Corrupted RAR File
Solution No. 1 – Use WinRAR
WinRAR itself has an inbuilt feature to repair RAR files and you might not need to go elsewhere. To repair a damaged RAR files, follow the steps mentioned below –
Step 1 – Download WinRAR and open it on your PC.
Step 2 – Open the file that is corrupted.
Step 3 – Click on Tools from the top and click on Repair archive.
Step 4 – Once the repair procedure is complete, close the repair window. Head to the folder that contains the repaired RAR/ ZIP file. You may find it under rebuilt.filename.zip or rebuilt.filename.rar. Click the file open and see if you can access it.
Solution No. 2 – Force Extract The Damaged RAR Files
Another way to repair corrupted RAR files is to force extract the damaged RAR files using WinRAR. To do that –
Step 1 – Right-click on the corrupted or damaged RAR archive, select Open with, and click on WinRAR.
Step 2 – Click on Extract To from the top menu bar.
Step 3 – Choose the destination path where you want to save the extracted RAR files.
Step 4 – Here is the important part – Under Miscellaneous, click on the Keep broken files checkbox and click on OK. Ignore any error messages that may pop up.
Now check if you are able to access the damaged RAR files or not.
Solution No. 3 – Repair Corrupt RAR Files Online
If you are not in favor of downloading a third-party utility to repair a damaged RAR file, you can instead take the online route as shown below –
Step 1 – Go to this website
Step 2 – Scroll down to the section shown in the screenshot below and drag & drop corrupted RAR files.
Step 3 – Enter your email address and click on Start Repairing. In a few moments, you will receive an email with your repaired RAR files.
Solution No. 4 – Repair ZIP Files Using A Dedicated Tool
If the ZIP archive in which you have compressed files has become corrupted, you can take aid of a third-party tool like Wondershare Repairit. This tool can help you repair all kinds of damaged files such as photos, audio files, archives and much more. To repair ZIP files using Wondershare Repairit, here are the steps –
Step 1 – Download Wondershare Repairit and run the installation file.
Step 2 – From the sidebar, click on More Types Repair.
Step 3 – From the right-hand side, click on File Repair.
Step 4 – Click on Add or drag and drop corrupted or damaged RAR files that you want to repair.
Repairing Damaged RAR Files Is Possible
No matter how far damaged your RAR archive or its containing files are, needn’t lose hope. You can use the ways to repair broken RAR files using WinRAR as shown above, head to a third party utility like Wondershare Recoverit or take help of an online repair utility.
If you have been successful in repairing your damaged or broken RAR archives, do share your experience with other users who might be in the same situation as you. For more such content, keep reading WeTheGeek. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Instagram, Flipboard, and Pinterest.