Overview
The unrar command is used to extract files from “RAR format” archives, which offer high compression ratios. It is commonly used to handle files created in Windows or to restore large data distributed as split volumes (e.g., .part1.rar, .part2.rar).
Note: Since this is often not included in standard Linux distributions, you may need to install it from a “non-free” repository.
Specifications (Arguments and Options)
Syntax
unrar [command] [options] [archive_filename] [path/file…]
Note: unrar uses “commands” (without a hyphen) and “options” (with a hyphen).
Main Commands (Action Modes)
| Command | Description |
x | Extracts files while maintaining the directory structure (Recommended). |
e | Extracts all files into the current directory, ignoring the folder structure. |
l | Lists the files inside the archive. |
v | Lists files with detailed information (compression ratio, version, etc.). |
t | Tests the integrity of the archive (does not extract). |
p | Displays the file content on standard output (for use with pipes). |
Main Options (Behavior Modification)
| Option | Description |
-y | Automatically answers “Yes” to all prompts (e.g., overwrite confirmation). |
-o+ | Forces the command to overwrite existing files. |
-o- | Prevents overwriting existing files. |
-x[file] | Excludes a specific file from being processed. |
-inul | Disables all output except for error messages (silent mode). |
-ierr | Sends all messages to standard error (stderr). |
-p[pass] | Specifies a password (e.g., -pSecret123). |
Basic Usage
It is best to check the contents of the archive before extracting them.
# List files within the archive
unrar l design_assets.rar
Example Result
Archive: design_assets.rar
Details: RAR 5
Attributes Size Date Time Name
----------- --------- ---------- ----- ----
-rw-r--r-- 1048576 2025-10-15 10:00 schema.sql
-rw-r--r-- 524288 2025-10-15 10:01 images/logo.psd
----------- --------- ---------- ----- ----
1572864 2
Practical Commands
Extract with Directory Structure
This is the standard way to extract files. Use the x command.
# Extract files to the current directory while keeping the structure
unrar x design_assets.rar
Extract Only a Specific File
You can restore just one file instead of the whole archive. Specify the path as an argument.
# Extract only logo.psd from the images folder
unrar x design_assets.rar images/logo.psd
Exclude Specific Files During Extraction
Use the -x option if you want to extract everything except certain files.
# Extract everything except heavy .psd files
unrar x design_assets.rar -x*.psd
Customization Points
- Skip Confirmation in Batch Processing (
-y): This is useful in scripts to prevent the process from stopping for overwrite prompts.Bashunrar x -y backup.rar /var/www/html/ - Extracting Password-Protected RARs (
-p): While you will be prompted for a password in interactive mode, you can also specify it in the command.Bashunrar x -pMyPassword123 secure_data.rar
Important Notes
- Difference Between e and x: The
ecommand extracts all files into one location, which can cause naming conflicts. It is generally safer to usexto preserve the full path. - Licensing:
unraris freeware but not open-source. Some repositories may offer a completely free alternative calledunar. - Handling Split Archives: For files named
data.part01.rar,data.part02.rar, etc., simply run the command on the first file. The system will automatically find and combine the remaining parts.
Application
Archive Integrity Check
Confirm if data is corrupted before extracting. This is helpful after a large download.
# Test all files without extracting
unrar t large_backup.rar
Example Result
Testing archive large_backup.rar
Testing images/background.png OK
Testing db_dump.sql OK
All OK
Summary
The unrar command is essential for handling large files from Windows environments or multi-part archives. Master the three basic actions—l to list, x to extract properly, and t to test—and combine them with -y for automation.
