RAR archives are common in game mods, software distributions, and file-sharing sites, but Linux Mint does not include a RAR extraction tool by default. You can install unrar on Linux Mint 22 and 21 from the default repositories, giving you full RAR5 extraction from the terminal and through Nemo’s right-click menu.
Choose Your UNRAR Package for Linux Mint
Linux Mint offers two unrar packages with different capabilities and licensing. The proprietary unrar package handles all RAR formats including RAR5, while unrar-free provides an open-source alternative with limited format support.
| Feature | unrar (Proprietary) | unrar-free (GPL) |
|---|---|---|
| RAR5 support | Yes | No |
| RAR3/RAR4 support | Full | Partial (basic RAR3 only) |
| Password-protected archives | Yes | Yes |
| Multi-volume archives | Yes | No |
| Repository | multiverse | universe |
For most users, the proprietary unrar package is recommended because most RAR files downloaded from the web use RAR5 compression, which unrar-free cannot handle. Choose unrar-free only if open-source licensing is a strict requirement for your workflow.
Install UNRAR on Linux Mint
Refresh your package lists and upgrade existing software before installing unrar. Open a terminal from the applications menu or by pressing your configured keyboard shortcut, then run:
sudo apt update && sudo apt upgradeThis guide uses
sudofor commands that need root privileges. If your user is not in the sudoers file yet, follow the guide on how to create and add users to sudoers on Linux Mint.
Install UNRAR (Proprietary, Full RAR Support)
Install the proprietary unrar package from the multiverse repository:
sudo apt install unrarVerify the installation by running unrar without arguments to display its version and available commands:
unrarUNRAR 7.00 freeware Copyright (c) 1993-2024 Alexander Roshal
Usage: unrar <command> -<switch 1> -<switch N> <archive> <files...>
<@listfiles...> <path_to_extract/>
<Commands>
e Extract files without archived paths
l[t[a],b] List archive contents [technical[all], bare]
p Print file to stdout
t Test archive files
v[t[a],b] Verbosely list archive contents [technical[all],bare]
x Extract files with full path
The output confirms unrar is installed and ready. Your version number may differ depending on your Linux Mint release.
Install UNRAR-Free (Open-Source Alternative)
If you prefer open-source software exclusively, install unrar-free instead. This package cannot extract RAR5 archives or multi-volume splits:
sudo apt install unrar-freeVerify the installation:
unrar-free --helpUsage: unrar-free [OPTION...] ARCHIVE [FILE...] [DESTINATION]
Extract files from rar archives.
-x, --extract Extract files from archive (default)
-t, --list List files in archive
-f, --force Overwrite files when extracting
--extract-newer Only extract newer files from the archive
--extract-no-paths Don't create directories while extracting
-p, --password Decrypt archive using a password
-?, --help Give this help list
--usage Give a short usage message
-V, --version Print program version
The unrar-free package uses GNU-style double-dash options, which differs from the proprietary unrar command syntax shown in the rest of this guide.
Extract RAR Archives with UNRAR on Linux Mint
The following examples use the proprietary unrar package. Each command targets a file called archive.rar as a placeholder for your actual filename.
Extract files while preserving the directory structure inside the archive:
unrar x archive.rarExtract all files into the current directory without creating subdirectories:
unrar e archive.rarList the files in an archive without extracting, which is useful for previewing contents before extraction:
unrar l archive.rarExtract to a specific directory by appending the destination path:
unrar x archive.rar /path/to/destination/Extract a password-protected archive. The -p flag prompts for the password interactively, which avoids shell interpretation issues with special characters:
unrar x -p archive.rarTest archive integrity without extracting files. This verifies that the archive is not corrupted before you commit to extraction:
unrar t archive.rarIf you work with ZIP archives alongside RAR files, see the unzip command examples guide for extracting
.zipfiles from the terminal.
Troubleshoot UNRAR Issues on Linux Mint
Fix “Package ‘unrar’ Has No Installation Candidate”
This error appears when the multiverse repository is not enabled:
E: Package 'unrar' has no installation candidate
Enable the multiverse repository and retry the installation:
sudo add-apt-repository multiverse
sudo apt update
sudo apt install unrarYou can also enable multiverse through the Software Sources application under “Official Repositories” if the command-line method fails.
Fix “unrar: command not found”
This error means the package is not installed on your system:
bash: unrar: command not found
Enable multiverse and install unrar using the commands in the previous section. If multiverse is already enabled, run sudo apt install unrar directly.
Fix “Unsupported Archive Format” with UNRAR-Free
When unrar-free encounters a RAR5 archive, it produces this error because it lacks RAR5 support:
unrar-free: archive.rar: Unsupported archive format
Check which unrar package is currently installed:
apt list --installed 2>/dev/null | grep unrarunrar-free/noble,now 1:0.1.3-1build2 amd64 [installed]
The codename and version number in the output vary by release. Mint 22 shows noble while Mint 21 shows jammy.
If unrar-free is installed and you need RAR5 support, remove it and install the proprietary version:
sudo apt remove unrar-free
sudo apt install unrarFix “Unsupported Block Header Size” Errors
This error typically appears when extracting archives created with a newer RAR version than your installed unrar supports:
Unsupported block header size
Update your package lists and upgrade unrar to the latest available version:
sudo apt update
sudo apt install --only-upgrade unrarIf the error persists after upgrading, the archive may be corrupted. Re-download it from the original source and test its integrity with unrar t archive.rar before extracting.
Fix “Declared Dictionary Size Is Not Supported”
Archives created with RAR 7 or WinRAR 7 can use dictionary sizes up to 64 GB, which older unrar versions do not support. This error indicates your installed version is too old for the archive format:
Declared dictionary size is not supported
Upgrade unrar to the latest version available in your repositories:
sudo apt update
sudo apt install --only-upgrade unrarIf the repository version is still too old, ask the archive creator to re-compress with a smaller dictionary size or a more compatible RAR format setting.
Fix Incorrect Password Errors
Password-protected archives display this error when the password is wrong or contains special characters that the shell interprets:
Encrypted file: CRC failed in archive.rar (password incorrect ?)
Double-check the password for typos. If the password contains special characters like !, $, or &, use the interactive prompt by running unrar x -p archive.rar without appending the password, which avoids shell interpretation issues. If the archive itself is corrupted, re-download it from the source.
Remove UNRAR from Linux Mint
To remove unrar from your system, run the appropriate command for your installed package:
sudo apt remove unrarFor unrar-free:
sudo apt remove unrar-freeClean up any orphaned dependencies left behind:
sudo apt autoremoveNeither package stores configuration files, so apt remove and apt purge produce identical results. No additional cleanup is required.
Frequently Asked Questions
WinRAR is a Windows application and does not have a native Linux version. On Linux Mint, the unrar package provides the same RAR extraction capability from the command line, and Nemo’s file manager integrates with it automatically for right-click extraction.
This error appears when Nemo cannot find a compatible RAR extraction tool. Install the unrar package with sudo apt install unrar, then retry the extraction. If the error persists after installing unrar, update the package with sudo apt install --only-upgrade unrar to ensure compatibility with newer RAR formats.
After installing the unrar package, Nemo automatically integrates with it. Right-click any .rar file in Nemo and select Extract Here or Extract To to extract the archive without opening a terminal.
Conclusion
With unrar installed, use unrar x for full-path extraction, unrar l to preview archive contents, and unrar t to verify integrity before extracting. Nemo handles right-click extraction automatically once the package is in place. Keep unrar current with sudo apt install --only-upgrade unrar to maintain compatibility with newer RAR compression formats.
shit! Mint 21.3
(py) 16:12:14al@alsdesk:~$ sudo apt install unrar
Package unrar is not available, but is referred to by another package.
This may mean that the package is missing, has been obsoleted, or
is only available from another source
Error: Package ‘unrar’ has no installation candidate
(py) 16:12:21al@alsdesk:~$ sudo apt install unrar-free
Package unrar-free is not available, but is referred to by another package.
This may mean that the package is missing, has been obsoleted, or
is only available from another source
Error: Package ‘unrar-free’ has no installation candidate
(py) 16:12:40al@alsdesk:~$
Thanks for reporting this, Alfred. The “no installation candidate” error means the multiverse repository is not enabled on your system. Run these commands to fix it:
The multiverse repository contains the proprietary unrar package. Linux Mint 21.3 supports this repository since it is based on Ubuntu 22.04. If the command fails, you can also enable multiverse through the Software Sources application under “Official Repositories.”