The current WinRAR on the official download page is 7.23, listed as a 64-bit download, with a WinRAR 7.30 Beta 1 also linked. The page prints no release dates, and its Windows entries were all 64-bit when read, with no 32-bit or ARM Windows builds in the 7.23 list. The English 64-bit installer is 3,758 KB, and the localised installers range from about 3,731 KB (Danish) to 5,951 KB (Brazilian Portuguese).
WinRAR is paid software with a trial. The end-user licence agreement on win-rar.com says "anyone may use the software during a test period of a maximum of 40 days at no charge," and that afterwards "the user must purchase a license to continue using the software." The download page and home page print no price, and the home page only links to a "Buy WinRAR" shop.
Licence terms in the agreement
| Question | What the agreement says |
|---|---|
| Trial | A test period of a maximum of 40 days at no charge |
| After the trial | A purchased licence is required to continue |
| Home users | A single computer usage licence may be used on all computers and mobile devices the owner possesses |
| Business users | One licence per computer or mobile device on which the software is installed |
| Transfer | May be permanently transferred in its entirety if the recipient agrees to the terms; not rented or leased |
| Updates and licence term | Not stated in the agreement text we read |
| Warranty | Distributed as is |
Scope: win-rar.com licence page, read 24 Oct 2026. This is a summary of the agreement's wording, not legal advice, and the agreement is the authority on use at work.
The home page notes that WinRAR is compatible with Windows 11 and Windows 10 and links a separate support statement for each. It says the software is available in over 40 languages and claims more than 500 million users, which are marketing statements the page does not back with evidence.
What recent versions changed
| Version | What the What's New page says |
|---|---|
| 7.30 beta 1 | Sparse file decompression in TAR archives, a viewer tab size option, changes to how NTFS alternate data streams are listed and handled, a -da switch to delete archives after extraction |
| 7.23 | Fixes a heap overflow in RAR5 recovery volume reconstruction, which the page describes as a security issue; closes a symbolic link path issue; updates the 7zxa.dll library; -iver prints the version even when -idc is set |
| 7.22 | Reverts deletion from solid archives to the method used before 7.20, to avoid potential checksum errors |
| 7.21 | Better detection of archives with mismatched extensions, a changed first-click sort, case-insensitive -s=e comparison, several bug fixes including a RAR4 solid archive deletion problem |
Scope: win-rar.com/whatsnew.html, read 24 Oct 2026. The page prints no dates, so no release gaps are computed. The heap overflow fix in 7.23 means a copy older than 7.23 may be missing a security fix.
What Windows already does
Microsoft's page says Windows 11 24H2 opens "ZIP, RAR, 7z and TAR archive formats" without extra software, and it names WinRAR among the tools for encrypted archives, which Windows cannot work with. A WinRAR licence therefore pays for features beyond opening files, such as creating RAR archives, which PeaZip's page says needs WinRAR installed. The side-by-side comparison is on the File Compression page.
Before you install: a short check
- Decide whether the licence suits you. A home user's single licence is described as covering the owner's own devices, while a business needs one per device.
- Match the build to your system. The 7.23 list read was 64-bit only, so confirm that a 32-bit build exists for your PC before relying on one.
- Use the official page. Look for an installer in the sizes above as a sanity check.
- Only buy from the shop link on win-rar.com.
What the WinRAR features page lists
| Item | What the page says |
|---|---|
| Formats | RAR, ZIP, CAB, ARJ, LZH, TAR, GZip, UUE, ISO, BZIP2, Z and 7-Zip; the page does not separate creating from unpacking |
| Encryption | AES 256-bit encryption and authenticated signature technology |
| Large archives | Archives can be split into separate volumes |
| Languages | Ten shown in the menu; no total stated |
| Trial | Free for 40 days |
| Windows versions | None named on this page |
| Recovery record | Not mentioned |
| File size limits | None stated |
Scope: win-rar.com/features.html, read 24 Oct 2026.
This page repeats the 40 days from the licence agreement above and adds the format list, but it names no Windows versions. The only Windows range this directory found for WinRAR is the "Windows 10 and 11" on the home page, so older systems need a check with the developer before buying.
Alternatives in this directory
7-Zip is free, open source and unpacks RAR files, though it cannot create them according to its own page. PeaZip is free under LGPL3. Bandizip and WinZip are other commercial options, and PowerArchiver sells a perpetual licence.