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This was WinRAR's reaction to Windows 11 getting native .RAR support 🥺

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Winrar is a somewhat legendary piece of software that revolutionized file packaging.

WinRAR logo man on a rainy background night
(Image credit: Windows Central, Bing Image Creator, WinRAR logo)

What you need to know

  • Windows 11 is getting native .RAR support in an upcoming version update. 
  • .RAR from WinRAR is a file archiving system, generally regarded as the best and most efficient. 
  • WinRAR has reacted to the inclusion humorously on social media, but given Microsoft's very light-touch support of the .ZIP format, I suspect WinRAR will still remain popular. 

WinRAR is a legendary piece of trialware software that revolutionized file sharing online, owing to its ability to archive, encrypt, and compress entire folders of content into single files. The .rar format has become a broadly used alternative to .zip, owing to its more effective encryption and compression algorithms. While some open-source alternatives like .7z have challenged its dominance in recent years, it remains one of the best Windows apps of all time, used by hundreds of millions of people. 

WinRAR is a proprietary format supported by the app of the same name. With over half a billion users, it is by far the world's most popular archiving tool, and can be used to extract numerous file archiving formats while also adding encryption and password protection to new ones. 

WinRAR has long been the subject of memery for its very soft approach to its "trial" period. You can download WinRAR for free on a trial basis for 40 days, but the trial period is notoriously "easy" to circumvent. In 20 years I haven't personally purchased WinRAR, but I feel compelled to do so after seeing this endearing social post from the firm.

Going viral on Twitter, the official WinRAR channel posted this classic "this is fine" meme in response to the news that Windows 11 is getting native support for the .RAR format, announced during Microsoft Build 2023. 

Microsoft has been on a roll lately with updates to Windows 11. The Windows 11 Moment 3 update includes a ton of new features for the OS. Native support for .RAR is slated to arrive sometime in the Autumn, however, hitting the Windows Insider Program relatively soon. The extent to which Microsoft plans to support .RAR archiving in Windows 11 remains unknown. The full WinRAR app supports a ton of configuration features, including encryption types and passworded archives, while also supporting many other file archiving standards. Windows, right now, only supports the .ZIP standard by default right now, and you only gain more advanced encryption options using Windows 11 enterprise editions. Even then, you can't set up passworded .ZIP files for sharing without using a third-party tool. I suspect support for the .RAR format on Windows 11 will be similarly minimal, leaving WinRAR with plenty of reasons to stick around. 

In any case, if you want to check out WinRAR for yourself, you can grab it from the official WinRAR website. The "trial" lasts for "40 days," but you can buy a permanent license for $36 dollars. 

WinRAR (Trialware, $36) 

WinRAR (Trialware, $36) 

WinRAR is a legendary Windows app, bringing encrypted archiving goodness to the OS for decades. The trial lasts for "40 days," but doesn't necessarily lock you out of using the app once it expires. 

Buy at: WinRAR

Jez Corden
Jez Corden
Executive Editor

Jez Corden is the Executive Editor at Windows Central, focusing primarily on all things Xbox and gaming. Jez is known for breaking exclusive news and analysis as relates to the Microsoft ecosystem while being powered by tea. Follow on Twitter (X) and tune in to the XB2 Podcast, all about, you guessed it, Xbox!

3 Comments Comment from the forums
  • GraniteStateColin
    In a quick search, I couldn't find anything that says RAR is patented, only copyrighted. If only copyrighted, MS could reproduce it as long as they don't use the owner's source code.

    However, I see the date of its release is 1993, so with a 20-year patent life, even if it had been patented, at least older versions would be in the public domain by now (newer updates could still be protected).

    If the current most effective RAR compression methods are still covered under patent, legally, MS would need to license it from the owner to use that version. A patent can't reach backwards past that 20 year lifespan, but it could cover newer improvements since 2003.
    Reply
  • GraniteStateColin
    GraniteStateColin said:
    In a quick search, I couldn't find anything that says RAR is patented, only copyrighted. If only copyrighted, MS could reproduce it as long as they don't use the owner's source code.

    However, I see the date of its release is 1993, so with a 20-year patent life, even if it had been patented, at least older versions would be in the public domain by now (newer updates could still be protected).

    If the current most effective RAR compression methods are still covered under patent, legally, MS would need to license it from the owner to use that version. A patent can't reach backwards past that 20 year lifespan, but it could cover newer improvements since 2003.

    By the way, 7z, which is definitely open source, does yield better compression (smaller files) than RAR or others. RAR's strength is in its compression speed, being a bit faster than 7z. On the rare occasions when I compress files, I just use ZIP because it's universal and anyone can open them, with both the speed and size differences being negligible for me. 7z is my alternative, like if I need to fit a bunch of files onto a thumb drive that might not quite hold a ZIP or RAR file.

    I like the Nanazip 7Z app that integrates well into the Windows 11 shell (without having to select Show more options to get it). It's basically 7zip that works with the new Windows 11 File Explorer and shell.
    Reply
  • Jez Corden
    GraniteStateColin said:
    By the way, 7z, which is definitely open source, does yield better compression (smaller files) than RAR or others. RAR's strength is in its compression speed, being a bit faster than 7z. On the rare occasions when I compress files, I just use ZIP because it's universal and anyone can open them, with both the speed and size differences being negligible for me. 7z is my alternative, like if I need to fit a bunch of files onto a thumb drive that might not quite hold a ZIP or RAR file.

    I like the Nanazip 7Z app that integrates well into the Windows 11 shell (without having to select Show more options to get it). It's basically 7zip that works with the new Windows 11 File Explorer and shell.
    fair. good insights there. i used to use 7z cus it had a windows phone app lolllllllllll. where rar didnt at the time. the devs of torrex made one, forgot what it was called now. UWP life. but yeah i RARELY zip rar or 7z things these days. i remember feeling like it was necessary when internet speeds were slower but now its just like.. ill just send a onedrive folder link or something. still, gotta respect what winrar did for the development of the modern web.
    Reply