How to Open ZIP, RAR, TAR, and BIN Files on a Mac

Mahesh Makvana
·
8 min read

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If you’ve been struggling with an archive that your Mac refuses to open, the file format usually explains the problem. macOS opens ZIP and most TAR archives without extra software, but RAR and some BIN files need another app.

The steps below work with current macOS releases, including macOS Tahoe 26 and Sequoia 15. Some buttons may sit in slightly different places on older versions.

Which Archive Formats Does macOS Support?

Archive Utility, the extraction tool built into macOS, handles these common formats:

  • ZIP
  • TAR
  • TAR.GZ and TGZ
  • GZIP
  • BZIP2

RAR isn’t supported by Archive Utility. BIN is less predictable because the extension can describe an archive, disc image, firmware file, or program created for another platform.

A multi-format extraction app addresses this by handling RAR, 7Z, and several BIN variants through one interface.

Finder window with a RAR file selected and the Open With submenu expanded, showing The Unarchiver highlighted

Open ZIP Files With Finder

You don’t need another app for a normal ZIP file. Finder passes it to Archive Utility and places the extracted contents beside the original archive.

  1. Open Finder and locate the .zip file.
  2. Double-click the file.
  3. Open the new folder created in the same location.
Finder window showing sample.zip beside its newly extracted sample folder, with both items visible

If the ZIP contains a single file rather than a folder, that file may appear directly beside the archive.

Create a ZIP File on a Mac

Finder can also compress files and folders:

  1. Select the items in Finder.
  2. Control-click the selection.
  3. Choose Compress.

Finder creates Archive.zip for multiple items or uses the selected item’s name for a single file. This is useful when moving a large folder to an external SSD or sending several documents together.

Open ZIP Files With Terminal

Terminal gives you more control over the destination and works well in scripts.

  1. Open Terminal using Spotlight with Cmd + Space.
  2. Change to the folder containing the ZIP file. For a file on your Desktop, run:
cd ~/Desktop
Terminal window showing the command cd ~/Desktop entered successfully, with the prompt now in the Desktop directory
  1. Extract the archive:
unzip sample.zip

Replace sample.zip with the archive’s actual name. You can drag the ZIP from Finder into Terminal to insert its full path, which avoids mistakes with spaces and long filenames.

Terminal window showing unzip sample.zip and the resulting extracted filenames

Terminal extracts the contents into the current directory. If you’d rather choose a separate destination, add -d followed by a folder:

unzip sample.zip -d ~/Desktop/Extracted

Open RAR Files With The Unarchiver

A RAR file won’t open through Archive Utility. The Unarchiver is the easiest free option for most people and supports encrypted and multi-volume RAR archives alongside ZIPX, 7Z, TAR, GZIP, and BZIP2.

  1. Install The Unarchiver from the App Store.
  2. Open it once from Applications or Spotlight.
  3. In its archive-format settings, enable RAR. The exact layout can vary by app version.
  4. Find the .rar file in Finder.
  5. Control-click it and choose Open With > The Unarchiver.
  6. Select an extraction location if prompted.
macOS Spotlight search with The Unarchiver entered and The Unarchiver app result highlighted
The Unarchiver settings window showing the Archive Formats section with RAR enabled

The app takes care of extraction and places the resulting files in your chosen folder. If the archive has several numbered parts, keep every part in the same folder before opening the first file.

Make The Unarchiver the Default RAR App

You can associate every .rar file with The Unarchiver:

  1. Select a RAR file in Finder.
  2. Control-click it and choose Get Info.
  3. Expand Open with.
  4. Select The Unarchiver.
  5. Click Change All, then confirm the change.
Finder context menu for a selected RAR file with Get Info highlighted
Finder Get Info window for a RAR file with Open with set to The Unarchiver and the Change All button highlighted

Future RAR files will open with The Unarchiver when you double-click them.

Other RAR Apps Worth Using

The Unarchiver is enough for basic extraction, but other apps offer file previews or archive creation:

  • Bandizip opens RAR, RAR5, RAR7, 7Z, ZIP, ISO, CAB, and TAR files. It can also create ZIP, 7Z, TAR, GZ, and TGZ archives.
  • Keka is a good fit when you regularly create archives as well as extract them.
  • Archiver provides a polished drag-and-drop interface, though it’s a paid option.
  • RAR Extractor – Unzip Archive supports RAR, TAR, BIN, ISO, CAB, RPM, and several less common formats.

I’d skip installing several archive apps unless you need a format your current choice can’t handle. Too many file associations become annoying quickly.

RAR Extractor - Unzip Archive main window with a RAR file added and the extraction destination control visible

Extract RAR Files With Terminal

The command-line method suits repeat jobs and automated workflows. It requires Homebrew and the unar utility (the old unrar formula was removed from Homebrew due to licensing restrictions).

  1. Open Terminal.
  2. If Homebrew isn’t installed, copy its current installation command from the official Homebrew website. Don’t use an old Ruby-based installer command.
  3. Install unar:
brew install unar
  1. Change to the archive’s folder:
cd ~/Desktop
  1. Extract the RAR file:
unar sample.rar

Replace sample.rar with the correct filename. unar preserves the folders stored inside the archive automatically.

Terminal window showing cd ~/Desktop followed by unrar x sample.rar and a successful extraction summary

For a one-off RAR download, a Mac App Store extractor is less work. Terminal earns its place when you process batches or already use Homebrew.

Open TAR, TAR.GZ, and TGZ Files With Finder

Current versions of macOS can extract most TAR-based archives through Archive Utility.

  1. Locate the .tar, .tar.gz, or .tgz file in Finder.
  2. Double-click it.
  3. Open the extracted folder beside the archive.

If the file sits on a network-attached storage device or cloud-synced folder and extraction stalls, copy it to the Desktop first. That removes connection and synchronization problems from the equation.

Extract TAR Files With Terminal

Use a different tar command depending on the file’s compression.

For a plain .tar archive:

tar -xf sample.tar

For a .tar.gz or .tgz archive:

tar -xzf sample.tar.gz

To run either command against a file on your Desktop:

cd ~/Desktop
tar -xzf sample.tar.gz
Terminal window showing cd ~/Desktop followed by tar -xzf sample.tar.gz and the extracted files listed

Don’t use -z for a plain .tar file. That option tells tar to process GZIP compression, which a standard TAR archive doesn’t contain.

Open BIN Files on a Mac

A .bin extension doesn’t identify one universal format. Your next step depends on what created the file.

Try a Multi-Format Extractor

Start with an extraction app that explicitly supports BIN files:

  1. Install RAR Extractor – Unzip Archive or another extractor that lists BIN support.
  2. Open the app.
  3. Drag the .bin file into its window.
  4. Choose a destination and start extraction.

This handles BIN files that contain recognizable archived data or a supported disc-image format. Copying the file from a USB-C flash drive to local storage can also prevent permission and connection errors.

Check for a CUE File

A .bin file accompanied by a .cue file is commonly an optical-disc image. Keep both files together because the CUE file describes the disc’s track layout.

If your archive app can’t read the pair, you’ll need a disc-image utility that can mount the image or convert it to ISO. Files created for old game consoles or legacy computers may require compatible emulation software after extraction.

Don’t Run an Unknown BIN File

Some BIN files contain firmware or executable data rather than documents. Don’t rename the extension or open the file with random utilities.

Check where the file came from and what device or application expects it. A router firmware BIN, for example, belongs in that router’s supported update workflow rather than an archive extractor.

Fix Archive Extraction Problems

The RAR File Still Opens With the Wrong App

Use Finder > Get Info > Open with, select your extractor, and click Change All. If the app isn’t listed, choose Other and select it from the Applications folder.

macOS Blocks the Extraction App

An App Store alternative is the safest response when macOS warns that an app came from an unidentified developer.

If you trust the developer and downloaded the app intentionally, open System Settings > Privacy & Security and look for the option to allow the blocked app. The wording and placement can vary by macOS version.

The App Can’t Access Downloads or Desktop

Open System Settings > Privacy & Security > Files & Folders, then check whether the extractor has permission to access the required location.

You can also drag the archive directly into the app. That often provides access to the selected file without granting broader folder permissions.

Extraction Stops or Produces an Error

Try these checks:

  • Move the archive to the Desktop and extract it there.
  • Confirm that every part of a multi-volume RAR archive is present.
  • Download the file again if the extractor reports corruption or an unexpected end of data.
  • Make sure you have enough free storage for the extracted files.
  • Try a second trusted extractor if the archive uses an unusual format variant.

A compressed archive can be much smaller than its contents. Leave more free space than the downloaded file’s size suggests.

The BIN File Won’t Extract

The BIN may be a disc image, firmware package, legacy installer, or file intended for another platform. Look for an accompanying CUE file and check the download source for the expected software.

Renaming .bin to .zip rarely solves anything and can make the file harder to identify.

The Best Method for Each Format

Use Finder for ZIP, TAR, TAR.GZ, and TGZ files. Archive Utility already handles them, and installing another app adds little unless you need previews or stronger compression controls.

Use The Unarchiver for RAR and other unsupported archive formats. Try a BIN-compatible extractor first for BIN files, then switch to a disc-image tool when the file comes with a CUE sheet.

Once the right app owns each file association, the original problem is solved: double-clicking common archives works, and you’re no longer dealing with an error every time someone sends a RAR file.