By Hally | Last Updated
When I just got a RAR file from a friend, and prepared to extract it to see the content in RAR archive, I found it asked for a password to extract. If I have gotten RAR password from friend, the problem would be easy. But if both of us don't know or forget encrypted RAR file password, what shoud we do? Now we can talk this problem in two situations and find solutions to extract encrypted RAR file when there is password or not.
If RAR file is encrypted by your friend, probably he/she has the archive password. You can try to ask your friend for rar file password and then use it to extract encrypted rar file with password in compression software like WinRAR.
Step 1: When WinRAR is the only compression software on your computer, right click the encrypted rar file and click Extract files. Or run WinRAR and navigate to directory where encrypted RAR file is saved. Select RAR file and click Extract to.
Step 2: In Extraction path and options window, set Destination path under General tab and click OK.
Step 3: Type password in Enter password box for encrypted RAR file. Click OK.
Then you can see the extracted folder in the location you choose as destionation path. You have successfully extract encrypted RAR file with WinRAR etc software.
However, there is a possibility that encrypted RAR file password is forgotten or lost and there is no password backup. When this happens unfortunately, please go on to see the situation 2 which is about how to extract encrypted RAR file without password.
When there is no RAR password, RAR file password recovery would be required first, so we can use recovered password to extract password protected RAR archive. If you don't know which third-party tool could really help you now, just take RAR Password Genius and follow the steps below to easily and effectively recover RAR file password and extract RAR file.
Step 1: Get RAR Password Genius Standard or Professional edition and install it on your computer.
Step 2: Now run Standard edition and import encrypted RAR file into it with Open button.
Tip: RAR Password Genius Professional User Guide
Step 3: In Type of attack drop-down list, choose one from Brute-force, Mask, Dictionary or Smart. And make password recovery type settings for what you choose.
Step 4: Click Start button to recover encrypted RAR file password.
Step 5: Save encrypted RAR file password in a text.
Step 6: Run WinRAR and open encrypted RAR archive in WinRAR by clicking File Open archive.
Step 7: Click Extract to in toolbar and a window pops up.
Step 8: In Extraction path and options window, under General option, select or create a location in Destination path to save archive file you prepare to extract. Click OK and a new dialog appears and asks for RAR archive password.
Step 9: Type encrypted RAR file password in Enter password box. Click OK and successfully extract encrypted RAR file with recovered password.
As you see, no matter we have password to open RAR file or not, we can extract encrypted RAR file with the methods above. But it is still necessary to save RAR file password in a safe place, so we can use it when we need.
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