Archive Converters
Got a .rar or .7z but your tool only takes .zip? Drop it in, get a ZIP every OS opens natively. macOS Finder, Windows Explorer, mobile mail apps — they all read ZIP without extra software.
All archive converters
Which format should I use?
ZIP is the universal default — every operating system unpacks it natively, no third-party installer needed. RAR (WinRAR's format) is proprietary and common for downloaded archives, especially older media bundles. 7Z (7-Zip's format) compresses harder than ZIP but needs 7-Zip, Keka, or a similar tool to open. Convert RAR→ZIP or 7Z→ZIP when you need to hand a colleague a file they can open with no installation, when uploading to a service that only accepts .zip, or when working on a locked-down machine where you can't install RAR/7Z extraction tools.
| Format | Best for | Native support | Compression |
|---|---|---|---|
| ZIP | Universal sharing, web uploads | macOS, Windows, Linux, mobile | Moderate |
| RAR | Proprietary archives, recovery records | None — needs WinRAR / The Unarchiver | Strong |
| 7Z | Tightest compression, big bundles | None — needs 7-Zip / Keka | Strongest |
Frequently asked questions
Are my files uploaded?
No. The conversion runs entirely in your browser — libarchive.js (WebAssembly) decompresses the source, fflate re-packs the result. The original archive and its contents stay on your device.
Will encrypted (password-protected) archives work?
Not currently. The tool extracts using the default (no-password) path; password-protected RAR or 7Z archives will fail. Decrypt them in the original tool first, then convert the unencrypted version.
How big an archive can I convert?
Up to a few hundred MB on desktop browsers, less on mobile — the limit is RAM available to the WASM instance. For multi-gigabyte archives, use a desktop tool like 7-Zip directly rather than a browser converter.
Why is the resulting ZIP sometimes larger than the source?
RAR and especially 7Z compress harder than ZIP — 7Z typically gets 20-50% smaller files than the same content as ZIP. Re-zipping at default DEFLATE level loses that advantage. The trade-off you're making is universal compatibility for compression efficiency.
What about TAR / TAR.GZ?
Not currently exposed as a converter, but libarchive supports them — if there's demand we'll add tar.gz→zip and similar paths. Open an issue or get in touch.