How to Recover RAR File on Windows: Top Tools and Techniques

Overview of RAR File

RAR files are compressed archive formats, widely used for storing and sharing multiple files in a single, smaller package. The RAR format supports high compression ratios and password protection, making it a popular choice for users looking to save disk space and secure their data.

However, like all file types, RAR files can sometimes become corrupted, deleted, or lost due to various reasons like system crashes, accidental deletion, or file system errors. If you find yourself dealing with a deleted or corrupted RAR file, rest assured that there are several ways to recover or repair these RAR files.

How to Recover Deleted RAR File on Windows

If you've accidentally deleted a RAR file—just like any other personal file—there are multiple methods to help you recover the deleted RAR file, whether it was a slip - up deletion, a permanent deletion, or you have a backup or not. If the RAR file was deleted recently, the chances of recovery are higher. In this section, we'll explore four methods you can use to recover deleted RAR files on Windows.

Check in the Recycle Bin

When a file is deleted (not using "Shift + Delete"), it often goes to the Recycle Bin, where it can be easily restored. So, this is the quickest and easiest method to recover a deleted RAR file if it hasn’t been permanently removed from the Recycle Bin.

Step 1. Double click the Recycle Bin icon to open it.

Step 2. Browse through and select the RAR file you want to recover.

Step 3. Right click the file and choose "Restore" to recover it to its original location.

Restore your Files with File History

File History stands out as a practical feature, enabling automatic backups of your files to ensure easy restoration of personal files and folders—even if the file get accidentally deleted. If you have enabled File History in Windows before deleted the RAR file, you can restore it using File History feature.

Step 1. Type "Restore your file with File History" in the Start menu and open it.

Step 2. Navigate to the folder containing the deleted RAR file, and choose a version you want to recover based on the backup time.

Step 3. Click the green "Restore" button to restore the RAR file to its original location.

Alternatively, you can utilize this feature in File Explorer, follow these steps to recover deleted RAR file:

Step 1. Press "Win + E" to open File Explorer.

Step 2. Go to the folder where the RAR file was stored, right click on it and choose "Restore previous versions".

Step 3. Choose the version of the folder that contains your deleted RAR file and click "Restore".

Restore from Backup and Restore (Windows 7)

This is a legacy tool which enables full-system or file-level backups, saving copies to an external drive or network location. If you regularly back up your system, this is an efficient method to recover your files. Similar to File History feature, you must enable shadow copy and Windows backup before the file deletion.

Step 1. Type "backup settings" in the Start menu and open it.

Step 2. Click on "Go to Backup and Restore (Windows 7)" and choose "Select another backup to restore files from".

Step 3. Choose a created backup containing the deleted RAR file to restore files from and click "Next".

Step 4. Select files you want to restore from the backup. If you just want to restore a specific file or folder, just click "Browse for files/folders" to choose for restoration.

Step 5. Select a safe location to save the recovered files and click "Restore".

When the process is completed, the message "Your files have been restored" will pop out. You can access and check the recovered files by clicking "View restored files".

Recover from Professional Data Recovery Software—MyRecover

If your RAR file isn’t in the Recycle Bin, and you don't have any bacup, a third-party data recovery tool like MyRecover might be your best option. It can scan your hard drive or specific folder for deleted files and restore them, as long as they haven’t been overwritten. In addition to RAR files, MyRecover can recover ZIP files, DOC/DOCX files, emails, and over 1000 other file formats.

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4 Steps to Recover Deleted RAR File on Windows via MyRecover

Step 1. Download and install MyRecover on your computer, avoid installing it on the drive with lost files.

Step 2. Select the drive where the deleted RAR file was stored and click "Scan".

Step 3. Choose the files you want recover from the recoverable lists and click "Recover".

Step 4. Select a secure location to save the recovered files.

Once the process is finished, the message "Files have been recovered successfully" will pop up. You can access and check the recovered files by clicking the destination folder.

How to Repair Corrupted RAR File on Windows

Corrupted RAR files can happen for many reasons, such as incomplete downloads, software crashes, or storage issues. In this section, we will cover two common ways to repair corrupted RAR files and recover the data inside.

Repair with WinRAR's Repair Feature

WinRAR is a popular file compression tool that helps shrink the size of files and folders for easier storage and sharing. One of its useful features is the "Repair" function, which allows users to fix corrupted or damaged archive files. By using the "Repair Archive" option in WinRAR, you can attempt to recover data from broken RAR or ZIP files.

Step 1. Download and install WinRAR on your computer.

Step 2. Launch it and select the corrupted RAR file, then click on "Repair". WinRAR will attempt to fix the file and create a new repaired version.

Step 3. Choose a destination folder to put the repaired archive, select "Treat the corrupt archive as RAR" and click "OK".

Wait several seconds until the process to complete, you can check the repaired RAR file in the designated folder.

Extract Corrupted RAR Files

If WinRAR fails to repair the corrupted RAR file, you can still force-extract files from the damaged or crashed folder to maximize the safety of individual files within the compressed archive. This method still utilizes WinRAR.

Step 1. Launch WinRAR and locate the corrupted RAR file.

Step 2. Click on "Extract to" from the tool bar.

Step 3. Choose a destination to save the extracted files and tick the "Keep broken files" option.

Step 4. Click on "OK" to start the process. If any error message pops up, just ignore it.

Summary

In short, deleted or corrupted RAR files can be recovered using the methods above, including both manual recovery and third-party tool solutions. Using proper file recovery tools like MyRecover, you can ensure that your important files stay safe from accidental loss in the future.

If you have more advanced needs, you can try the Professional or Technician edition of MyRecover. Both support data recovery from crashed systems and allow you to preview file contents before recovery. For home users or enterprises, the Technician edition is more suitable, as it allows using one license across an unlimited number of computers.