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The Unarchiver

By Dag Ågren / MacPaw · since 2006 · LGPL · official site →

Overview

The Unarchiver is a free, open-source extraction-only tool for macOS, distributed via the Mac App Store. It handles a vast number of archive formats — including obscure vintage formats like StuffIt, Amiga LHA, and Apple BinHex — through the libxad library. It does not create archives.

Best for

Extraction on macOS. Opening unusual or vintage archive formats that Archive Utility refuses.

Limitations

Cannot create archives — extraction only.

Supported formats — create

The Unarchiver can create the following archive formats:

Extraction only — does not create archives

Supported formats — extract

The Unarchiver can extract:

ZIPRAR (RAR5)7zTARGZIPBZIP2XZLZHARJCABACESITSITXPAKLZ4ZSTDmany obscure vintage formats

Installation

Where to download

The official download is at https://theunarchiver.com/. Avoid third-party download sites — they often bundle adware or worse with otherwise legitimate archivers.

Operating systems supported

macOSiOS

How to use The Unarchiver

Extracting an archive

  1. Locate the archive in your file manager (or terminal).
  2. Right-click and choose the The Unarchiver entry, or run the equivalent CLI command.
  3. Pick a destination folder.
  4. Wait for extraction to complete — speed depends on archive size and chosen algorithm.

Creating an archive

The Unarchiver does not create archives. For creating, pair it with a tool like 7-Zip, Keka, or PeaZip.

Alternatives

If The Unarchiver is not the right fit, consider these alternatives covered in our software directory: