RAR Files
Why RAR Archives Have .part1.rar Files
A `.part1.rar` file, alongside `.part2.rar`, `.part3.rar`, and so on, is one piece of a split, [multi-volume RAR archive](/guides/multi-volume-rar-archive) created with the RAR5 format. You need every part in the same folder to extract successfully.
This naming scheme shows up whenever an archive is too large or was deliberately split into smaller chunks. RAR5 numbers the parts explicitly in the file name itself, which makes it obvious how many pieces there are and in what order they belong.
Split-set naming: old vs new
| Format | Example files | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| RAR5 (current) | archive.part1.rar, archive.part2.rar, archive.part3.rar | Part number is in the file name; sorts naturally |
| RAR4 (older) | archive.rar, archive.r00, archive.r01 | First file has no number; extension increments after that |
See RAR5 vs RAR4 for the broader differences between these two archive versions.
Which file to open
Always open .part1.rar (or, in the older scheme, the plain .rar file with no number). That's the volume that contains the archive's index and instructs the extractor to pull in the rest of the parts automatically, in order. If you try to open .part2.rar or later directly, most extractors will either refuse or prompt you for the missing earlier volume.
Why all parts are required
A split RAR archive is one continuous compressed data stream cut into separate files — it isn't a collection of independent archives. If .part2.rar is missing, extraction will get partway through and then stop, since the data that continues from that point simply isn't available. See multi-volume RAR archives for more on why this is, and RAR missing volume if you're actually missing a piece.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need to extract each .partN.rar file separately?
No. Double-click or select only `.part1.rar` and extract; the tool automatically reads through the rest of the parts in sequence.
What if I only have .part2.rar and .part3.rar, not .part1.rar?
You're missing the volume the extractor needs to start with. See [RAR missing volume](/guides/rar-missing-volume) for what to try.
Can I rename archive.part1.rar to something else?
It's safest not to. Some extractors tolerate renaming the shared base name consistently across all parts, but it's easy to break the sequence, so leave the original names as they are.
Why does one archive use .part1.rar and another use .r00?
It depends on which RAR format version created the split: RAR5 uses the `.partN.rar` numbering, while the older RAR4 format uses the `.rar`/`.r00`/`.r01` scheme. See [RAR5 vs RAR4](/guides/rar5-vs-rar4).
Related guides
- What Is a RAR File?A RAR file (.rar) is a compressed archive that bundles one or more files together using RARLAB's proprietary compression format.
- The RAR File Format ExplainedRAR is a proprietary archive format with its own header structure, versioning, and optional features like solid compression and recovery records.
- What Is a Multi-Volume RAR Archive?A multi-volume RAR archive is a single archive split across multiple files, so it can be stored, uploaded, or transferred in smaller pieces instead of one large file. See [multi-part RAR files](/multi-part-rar-files) for the extraction-focused version of this guide.
- RAR Archive Has Missing Volume: What to CheckA missing-volume error means the extractor found a gap in a sequence of RAR parts it expected to be complete — one or more `.rar` or `.partNN.rar` files simply aren't in the folder.
- RAR5 vs RAR4: What Is the Difference?RAR5 is the newer version of the [RAR file format](/rar-file-format), introduced to support larger dictionary sizes and stronger encryption. RAR4 is the older version, and it's still relevant because some tools don't understand RAR5 yet.
- Multi-Part (Split) RAR Files ExplainedA multi-part RAR archive splits one large compressed file into several smaller pieces that must all be present in one folder to extract correctly.
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