Posted by If you’re someone who regularly uses a computer or laptop for handling large documents or media files, you must be familiar with WinRAR. The software is widely used to compress files or extract data from compressed files.
Even though WinRAR is a paid tool, you will find most people using the free version, which is still accessible after a 40-day trial period. The paid version starts from $21 and increases with the number of users and computers. Since its release in 1995, WinRAR has become a popular file compression and archiver utility, with availability in more than 50 languages and 32 and 64-bit editions. The interesting part is that this software is supported on various operating systems except Windows 10.
Let’s expand a bit on the features offered by this software. Anyone looking beyond the native ZIP functionality of Windows to get support for versatile file formats can opt for this tool as it offers the flexibility to create archives according to your requirements. WinRAR supports an extended list of formats, including RAR, ZIP, JAR, 7Z, ISO, Z, XZ, TAR, UUE, CAB, LZH, GZ, and ARJ.
The user-friendly interface of WinRAR makes it easier for you to access its wide range of features without any hassle. A wizard visible at the start assists in carrying out different tasks, ranging from compressed file creation to virus scan in any compressed file. This wizard tool is especially beneficial for users who are new to this tool.
To create archives in WinRAR, you can select from multiple configuration settings available in the tool, such as spanning multiple archive files and maintaining NTFS security settings. The usability of the software presents these options in a way that doesn’t overwhelm the users.
Another valuable feature of this tool is that it allows you to save a combination of archival settings in the form of a ‘profile’ to simplify reusability and save time. This profile can be applied to new archives, without you having to configure the settings all over again. This is as close to automation as WinRAR can take you by cutting down on repetitive actions.
When it comes to performance, WinRAR is fast at extracting files but comparatively, the compression speed is slightly slower. A test was conducted to check the speed of compression involving 1.78 GB of data including 20 files of different formats and sizes containing images, documents, audio, and video. WinRAR took 2 mins 6 secs to compress these files into 1.77 GB data – the performance can definitely use some improvement!
The one drawback of this utility is concerned with privacy. The password manager saves the countersigns in the Registry, in plain text. Therefore, anyone who is moderately good at operating computers can start snooping into your system and access the passwords in no time. Besides the lack of security features, WinRAR is an easily comprehensible software that includes advanced features that are accessible by technically inept users as well. Moreover, the company website includes a comprehensive FAQ section that can answer all your concerns and queries.