RAR files still turn up in Windows backups, game mods, and large split downloads, and Fedora handles them in two different ways. To install unrar on Fedora, you can use the open-source wrapper in the default repositories for plain archives or switch to RPM Fusion for RARLAB’s full binary when you need encrypted archive support and the classic unrar command set.
Fedora 43 ships an unrar package in the default repositories, but that package is a symlink to unrar-free rather than RARLAB’s build. Fedora’s repositories also do not provide the rar archiver itself, so the packaged options focus on extraction, with the real choice coming down to plain archive support versus full encrypted-archive compatibility.
Both Fedora’s wrapper and RARLAB’s binary extract RAR archives only. If you need to create new archives, use
7zipwith7zor another format such astar.xz.
Install Unrar on Fedora
Fedora’s default repositories and RPM Fusion both provide a package named unrar, but they are not the same build. The Fedora package links to unrar-free, while RPM Fusion replaces it with RARLAB’s full binary.
| Installation path | Package | Command | Encrypted RAR support | Unencrypted multi-part RAR5 | Best fit |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fedora AppStream | unrar (wrapper to unrar-free) | unrar | No | Yes | Basic extraction without adding third-party repositories |
| RPM Fusion Nonfree | unrar | unrar | Yes | Yes | Full compatibility and classic RARLAB behavior |
If you install
unrarbefore RPM Fusion is enabled, Fedora gives you the open-source wrapper. After RPM Fusion is enabled, runningsudo dnf install unrarupgrades that package to the RARLAB build.
Update Fedora Before Installing Unrar
Search for Terminal in Activities to open a shell. Fedora GNOME does not enable
Ctrl+Alt+Tby default.
Refresh package metadata and apply pending updates first. If you want quicker metadata downloads later, the DNF speed guide for Fedora covers the common tuning options:
sudo dnf upgrade --refreshThis guide uses
sudofor commands that need root privileges. If your account is not in the sudoers file yet, follow the guide on how to add a user to sudoers on Fedora.
Install Fedora’s Open-Source Unrar Package
This method installs Fedora’s default unrar package, which points to the unrar-free backend. It works well for plain RAR archives and unencrypted multi-part RAR5 files without adding extra repositories.
sudo dnf install unrarVerify which implementation is active by checking the version string:
unrar --versionunrar-free 0.3.3
If you install
unrar-freedirectly instead ofunrar, Fedora gives you theunrar-freecommand only. Install the wrapper package above if you want the shorterunrarcommand name.
Install RARLAB Unrar from RPM Fusion
Use this method if you need encrypted RAR support, predictable unrar x and unrar t behavior, or the closest WinRAR-compatible extraction workflow on Fedora.
sudo dnf install https://mirrors.rpmfusion.org/free/fedora/rpmfusion-free-release-$(rpm -E %fedora).noarch.rpm https://mirrors.rpmfusion.org/nonfree/fedora/rpmfusion-nonfree-release-$(rpm -E %fedora).noarch.rpmThe
$(rpm -E %fedora)expression expands to your current Fedora release number. If you want the full repository walkthrough, use the dedicated guide for RPM Fusion on Fedora.
Confirm that the expected RPM Fusion repositories are enabled before installing the package:
dnf repo list --all | grep -i rpmfusionrpmfusion-free RPM Fusion for Fedora 43 - Free enabled rpmfusion-free-updates RPM Fusion for Fedora 43 - Free - Updates enabled rpmfusion-nonfree RPM Fusion for Fedora 43 - Nonfree enabled rpmfusion-nonfree-updates RPM Fusion for Fedora 43 - Nonfree - Updates enabled
Install the RPM Fusion build of unrar:
sudo dnf install unrarRun the command with no arguments to confirm that the RARLAB binary is in place:
unrarUNRAR 7.12 beta 1 freeware Copyright (c) 1993-2025 Alexander Roshal
Usage: unrar <command> -<switch 1> -<switch N> <archive> <files...>
<@listfiles...> <path_to_extract/>
Use Fedora’s Default Unrar Package
If you stayed with Fedora’s default package, use it for listing and extracting plain RAR archives. On Fedora 43 it also handled an unencrypted multi-part RAR5 set, but encrypted archives still fail and some classic RARLAB subcommands behave differently.
List RAR Files with Fedora’s Unrar Wrapper
The wrapper still accepts the familiar l subcommand for a simple file listing:
unrar l plain-rar5.rarunrar-free 0.3.3 Copyright (C) 2004 Ben Asselstine, Jeroen Dekkers
RAR archive /tmp/rarlab-test/plain-rar5.rar
Pathname/Comment
Size Date Time Attr
----------------------------------------------
sample.txt
18 06-03-26 11:39 .....A
----------------------------------------------
1 18
Extract Plain and Multi-Part RAR Files with Fedora’s Unrar Wrapper
Extract a standard archive into a target directory with the same x subcommand used by RARLAB’s build:
unrar x plain-rar5.rar plain-out/For an unencrypted split archive, point the command at the first volume and keep every part in the same directory:
unrar x multipart-rar5.part1.rar multipart-out/Fedora’s wrapper is fine for extraction, but it does not mirror the full RARLAB feature set. On Fedora 43,
unrar tlisted archive contents instead of running a true integrity test, so use RPM Fusion’s package when you need the classic test command.
Use RARLAB Unrar from RPM Fusion on Fedora
These are the classic unrar commands most Linux tutorials assume. They were verified against RPM Fusion’s unrar package on Fedora 43.
Extract RAR Files with RARLAB Unrar
Use x to keep archived directories intact, or switch to e if you want every file in one flat destination directory:
unrar x plain-rar5.rar extracted-files/unrar e plain-rar5.rar extracted-files/List and Test RAR Archives with RARLAB Unrar
List archive contents before extracting:
unrar l plain-rar5.rarUNRAR 7.12 beta 1 freeware Copyright (c) 1993-2025 Alexander Roshal
Archive: plain-rar5.rar
Details: RAR 5
Attributes Size Date Time Name
----------- --------- ---------- ----- ----
-rw-r--r-- 18 2026-03-06 11:39 sample.txt
----------- --------- ---------- ----- ----
18 1
Check archive integrity before extraction when the download looks suspicious or arrived in multiple parts:
unrar t plain-rar5.rarUNRAR 7.12 beta 1 freeware Copyright (c) 1993-2025 Alexander Roshal Testing archive plain-rar5.rar Testing sample.txt OK All OK
Extract Password-Protected RAR Files with RARLAB Unrar
RARLAB’s build accepts passwords inline with -pYourPassword or prompts for one if you omit the value. The inline form is useful for automation, but avoid it on shared shells because the password appears in your command history.
unrar x -pSecret123 encrypted-rar5.rar encrypted-ok/UNRAR 7.12 beta 1 freeware Copyright (c) 1993-2025 Alexander Roshal Extracting from encrypted-rar5.rar Extracting encrypted-ok/sample.txt OK All OK
Extract Multi-Part RAR Files with RARLAB Unrar
Start with the first volume and keep every part in the same directory. unrar automatically reads the remaining volumes in sequence:
unrar x multipart-rar5.part1.rar multipart-ok/UNRAR 7.12 beta 1 freeware Copyright (c) 1993-2025 Alexander Roshal Extracting from multipart-rar5.part1.rar Extracting multipart-ok/random.txt Extracting from multipart-rar5.part2.rar ... random.txt Extracting from multipart-rar5.part3.rar ... random.txt Extracting from multipart-rar5.part4.rar ... random.txt Extracting from multipart-rar5.part5.rar ... random.txt OK All OK
Troubleshoot Unrar on Fedora
Fix unrar-free: Encryption is not supported on Fedora
This message means Fedora’s default unrar wrapper reached an encrypted archive. The open-source backend can list and extract plain RAR files, but it cannot decrypt password-protected archives.
unrar-free: Encryption is not supported
The fix is to switch to the RPM Fusion method above so Fedora installs RARLAB’s full binary. After that, rerun the extraction with the password:
unrar x -pYourPassword protected.rarFix command not found: unrar on Fedora
If you installed unrar-free directly, Fedora added the unrar-free command, not unrar. That mismatch shows up as a shell error like this:
zsh: command not found: unrar
Install the wrapper package if you want the shorter command name, or use the RPM Fusion method if you want the RARLAB binary instead:
sudo dnf install unrarVerify that Fedora now resolves the command correctly:
command -v unrar/usr/bin/unrar
Fix Incorrect Password Errors with RARLAB Unrar
RARLAB’s binary reports a bad password immediately. This usually means the password is wrong, the archive was re-packed with a different password, or one volume in a split set is from another release.
UNRAR 7.12 beta 1 freeware Copyright (c) 1993-2025 Alexander Roshal Incorrect password for encrypted-rar5.rar Total errors: 1
Retry with the exact password and keep the value attached to -p with no space, or omit the value entirely so unrar prompts you interactively:
unrar x -pYourPassword encrypted-rar5.rarRemove Unrar on Fedora
Remove the active unrar package with DNF:
sudo dnf remove unrarIf you installed unrar-free separately as its own command, remove that package too:
sudo dnf remove unrar-freeIf you enabled RPM Fusion only for this package and no longer need any software from those repositories, remove the release packages afterward:
sudo dnf remove rpmfusion-free-release rpmfusion-nonfree-releaseRemoving RPM Fusion disables updates for every package installed from those repositories. Keep the release packages in place if you still use any RPM Fusion software.
When you remove both archive packages, confirm that neither one is still installed:
rpm -q unrar unrar-freepackage unrar is not installed package unrar-free is not installed
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes. Fedora 43 includes unrar in the default repositories, but that package is a wrapper to unrar-free. It handles plain RAR archives without extra repositories, while encrypted archives still require RPM Fusion’s RARLAB build.
Fedora’s default unrar package is a symlink to unrar-free, so the version output shows the backend implementation instead of RARLAB’s binary. If you want the full RARLAB feature set, enable RPM Fusion and reinstall unrar.
No. Fedora’s open-source package listed and extracted plain RAR5 archives and unencrypted multi-part RAR5 sets on Fedora 43. RPM Fusion becomes necessary when the archive is encrypted or when you need RARLAB’s full command behavior such as a working unrar t test command.
The unrar-free package installs /usr/bin/unrar-free. Install Fedora’s unrar wrapper package if you want /usr/bin/unrar, or install RPM Fusion’s unrar package if you want the RARLAB binary instead.
Not from Fedora 43’s repositories or from RPM Fusion’s packaged unrar path. Those sources provide extraction tools only. If you need to create .rar archives, use RARLAB’s separate Linux download or switch to another format such as 7z or tar.xz.
Conclusion
unrar on Fedora now covers either quick extraction from the default repositories or full RARLAB compatibility through RPM Fusion when encrypted archives matter. If you plan to keep third-party archive tools around, the guide for installing RPM Fusion on Fedora covers the full repository setup. For moving extracted files to another system, enable SSH on Fedora is the next practical step.
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