OpenAnyFile
Works
Viewing, inspecting and verifying. You get the full member listing as a browsable tree with per-file sizes. File details, exact byte size and the detected signature are always shown.
How to open a .ar file
Opening a AR file usually means tracking down special software. It does not have to. Here is what the format really is, and a browser-based way to read one right now.
What is a .ar file?
Unix Archive is an archive format developed by AT&T Unix, first appearing in 1971. It is normally produced by Compilers, .deb packages.
The oldest surviving Unix archive format. Still the container for static libraries (.a) and Debian packages.
| Full name | Unix Archive |
|---|---|
| File category | Archives |
| MIME type | application/x-archive |
| Magic bytes (file signature) | 21 3C 61 72 63 68 3E (!<arch>) |
| Developer | AT&T Unix |
| Introduced | 1971 |
| Usually created by | Compilers, .deb packages |
| OpenAnyFile engine | TAR archive browser |
| Opens without upload | Yes — parsed locally in your browser |
Open a .ar file in your browser
OpenAnyFile routes .ar to its TAR archive browser, which opens the full member listing as a browsable tree with per-file sizes.
- Open the OpenAnyFile opener in this browser — nothing to download or sign up for.
- Drag your .ar file onto the drop zone, click to browse for it, or paste it with Ctrl+V.
- The extension is detected and the file is handed to the TAR archive browser.
- Your AR opens on its own viewer page: the full member listing as a browsable tree with per-file sizes.
- Use fullscreen for a closer look, or download the file back out unchanged. Works the same on Windows, macOS, Linux, Android and iOS, because it is just a web page.
What you can and cannot do with it here
Does not work
Editing and re-saving. OpenAnyFile is a reader, not an editor — for changes you still need special software or an equivalent.
No upload, and here is why that matters for {E}
Handing a .ar file to a random conversion site means handing over a copy you cannot get back. OpenAnyFile parses the file locally instead — the same way special software reads it off your disk, except the reader happens to be a web page. Nothing is transmitted, so there is nothing to leak, log or subpoena. It also means it keeps working with your Wi-Fi switched off.
Frequently asked questions about AR files
Can I open a .ar file without installing special software?
Yes. OpenAnyFile's TAR archive browser runs in your browser, so you can read a AR file with nothing installed. You get the full member listing as a browsable tree with per-file sizes. For full editing you still need the original application — this is a viewer, not an editor.
How can I check a file really is a AR file?
Look at the first bytes rather than the extension. A genuine AR begins with 21 3C 61 72 63 68 3E (!
Is it safe to open a AR file online?
With OpenAnyFile, yes, because nothing is uploaded. The file is read locally through your browser's File API and never leaves your device, so there is no server copy to leak, log or retain. That matters most for the kind of file people are least willing to hand to a random converter site.
What is a .ar file, exactly?
Unix Archive — an application/x-archive format created by AT&T Unix since 1971. The oldest surviving Unix archive format. Still the container for static libraries (.a) and Debian packages.
Does the same viewer handle formats related to AR?
Yes — the same engine also opens .tar, .cpio, .001, so you can compare related files without switching tools.
Related formats
These open with the same engine, so if you have one of these sitting next to your .ar file, it will open too: