How to Add a Password to a RAR File: Step-by-Step Guide

Download Article

Quick and easy methods for encrypting RAR archives

Written by Hannah Dillon

Last Updated: December 2, 2025 Fact Checked

Download Article

Password-Protect an Existing RAR (PC)

|

Creating a Password-Protected RAR (PC)

|

Creating a Password-Protected RAR (Mac)

|

Video

A RAR file is a compressed archive that can contain hundreds of other files. RAR is popular because of how much the file size can be compressed, as well as the powerful encryption that is built in. In this article, we'll teach you how to add a password to an already existing RAR file on Windows, as well as how to password-protect a RAR file during creation on Windows and Mac. Read on to learn how.

Password-Protecting a RAR File

If you have a RAR file you've already created, you can use WinRAR on Windows to add a password to it via the Tools menu. Otherwise, create a new RAR file using WinRAR on Windows or SimplyRAR on Mac, and add a password when you create the file.

Method 1

Method 1 of 3:

Adding a Password to an Existing RAR File (Windows)

Download Article

This program allows you to create RAR archives that you can protect with a password. WinRAR technically isn't free, but you can use the trial version indefinitely (though the app will nag you to purchase a license after the trial period is over). You can download WinRAR from win-rar.com.
This will open it in the WinRAR interface.

Advertisement
Alternatively, you can also press Alt+Q to open the "Convert archives" window.
It's under the "Conversion options" header, on the right side of the screen.
It's near the bottom of the window, on the right-hand side.
6
Enter your password. Enter it a second time to confirm it. You can check the "Show password" box to see the characters as you type them.
- For password creation tips, check out How to Create a Secure Password.
This will make it so that no one can see the names of the files contained in the RAR file until they unlock it with the password.
8
Click OK. Then, click OK in the "Archive name and parameters" window to create your new RAR file.
- Once you've added the password to the RAR file, you can double-click it to test it out. When you try to extract it, you will be prompted for the password you created.

Method 2

Method 2 of 3:

Creating a Password-Protected RAR File (Windows)

Download Article

1
Download and install WinRAR if you don't have it already. This program allows you to create RAR archives that you can protect with a password. WinRAR technically isn't free, but you can use the trial version indefinitely (though the app will nag you to purchase a license after the trial period is over). You can download WinRAR from win-rar.com.
- If you have an already existing RAR file, you can uncompress it and recompress it with a password using the steps below.
2
Add your files to a new RAR archive. There are a couple of different ways that you can do this:^{[1]
X
Research source}
- Open the WinRAR window and then browse for the files you want to add. Select all the files and then click the "Add" button.
- Select all of the files you want to archive in Windows. Right-click on your selection and choose WinRAR > Add to archive....
By default, it will be named after the file (if you're compressing just one file) or the folder the files were originally in.
Set password... button. This is located in the "General" tab of the "Archive name and parameters" window that appears when creating a new archive.^{[2]
X
Research source}
Enter it a second time to confirm it. You can check the "Show password" box to see the characters as you type them.
This will ensure that no one can see the names of the files contained in the RAR file until after they have successfully entered the password.^{[3]
X
Research source}
7
Click .OK to save your password. Click OK in the "Archive name and parameters" window to create your new RAR file.^{[4]
X
Research source}
- After the RAR file is created, you can double-click it to test it out. When you try to extract it, you will be prompted for the password you created.

Method 3

Method 3 of 3:

Creating a Password-Protected RAR File (Mac)

Download Article

1
Download and install SimplyRAR, if you don't have it already. This is a lightweight archive program that can create and open RAR files on a Mac. It is not as powerful as WinRAR on Windows, as RARLAB, the creator of WinRAR, developed the RAR format.
- WinRAR has a Mac version available as well, but it only supports the Terminal.
- If you have an already existing RAR file, you can uncompress it and recompress it with a password using the steps below.
A window will appear, allowing you to add files to the new RAR file.
You can drag and drop any files you'd like into the SimplyRAR window to add them to the list of files to be compressed and archived.
This will tell SimplyRAR that you want to add a password when the RAR file is created.
After checking the box, you will be prompted to create a password. You will need to enter it twice in order to use it.
6
Click Create RAR. You will be asked to name the file and choose where you want to save it.
- Note: Unlike WinRAR, you are not given the option to encrypt file names when password-protecting a RAR file.
- After the RAR file is created, you can double-click it to test it out. When you try to extract it, you will be prompted for the password you created.