How do I open a JAR file in Windows?.7 Best Apps to Open JAR Files on Windows.
You’ve probably come across archive files before. A common archive file type is the ZIP file. Another type of archive file that you may encounter is the JAR file. We’ll take a look at what that file is and the best applications to open JAR files on Windows.
Archive files, such as ZIP files and JAR files, allow you to pack multiple files into a single file, reducing the amount of storage space required. JAR stands for Java Archive. It is a package file format used to combine multiple Java class files and their associated resources such as text and images into a single file.
Indeed, JAR files were originally designed to allow end-users to download Java applets and their components with a single HTTP request.
If you try to open a JAR file without a compatible program installed that can open this type of file, you may see the error message “The JAR file cannot be accessed”. In this case, try one of the applications below to open the JAR file on your Windows computer.
JAR files can be opened in two ways:
Open and view the contents of the file the JAR file in Java (execute)
We will look at applications that will help you view and explore the contents of JAR files.
Apps to Open JAR Files on Windows
There are several programs that you can use to view and view the contents of a JAR file on a Windows computer. We will run through some of them. You may even find that you already have an application capable of opening JAR files on your computer.
1. WinRar
WinRar is a shareware program that you can download and use for free, but it will keep reminding you to buy a license. In any case, download WinRar, install it, and use it to open the JAR file. By opening the JAR file with WinRar, you can extract its contents.
2. 7-Zip
Similar to WinRar, 7-Zip is an archive viewer and extractor that can be used to open JAR files. Unlike WinRar, 7-Zip is free and open source. Download it for Windows here. After installing it, you can open the JAR file, extract it, and view the files contained in the archive. Simply right-click on the JAR file, select “Open With” and select “7-Zip File Manager”.
If you don’t see the option to open the file with 7-Zip File Manager, select the “Choose another application” option and select 7-Zip File Manager from the list:
Select the Always use this app to open .jar files option to make 7-Zip your default JAR viewer.
Apps to Open a JAR File Online
When all else fails, you can always use an online tool to open the JAR file. There are several to choose from. All of the online tools listed below allow you to put a JAR file on a website and download its contents. This is a good option if you don’t often come across these archives and don’t want to install new software.
3. Online Archive Extractor
Online Archive Extractor is a browser-based tool that can be used to extract several types of archive files, including JAR files. The site is secure, and since the tool runs locally inside the browser (i.e. not on the server-side), you can be sure that your files will not be sent over the Internet. You will also find that extracting JAR files with the Online Archive Extractor is faster than some other archive extractors since almost no data is transferred online.
4. AppsCMS JAR File Opener
The AppsCMS JAR File Opener works a little differently than the Online Archive Extractor. It transfers your file to its servers. However, they assure users: “We only keep your Jar files for a very short time to extract the contents and then delete the files. We do not store your JAR files or the contents of your JAR files.” Since it is also available online, this option will also work for opening JAR files on Mac, Linux, Ubuntu, and all flavors of Windows.
5. Online Java Decompiler
An online Java decompiler is provided by Leonardo Santos from Brazil. His tool decompiles .jar and .class files online. It’s a simple tool that does exactly what it does. Most of the files you extract from a JAR file will be text files, but some may be other file types that require additional applications to view.
6. EzyZip’s Extract Jar File Tool
The EzyZip JAR extraction tool has a few more bells and whistles than other online JAR file opener tools. Some of the files extracted with this tool can be previewed in the browser, and you also have the option to save multiple files and folders at the same time to a destination folder of your choice.
7. FreeFileConvert
The last entry on our list is a little different from the rest. FreeFileConvert’s Convert JAR to ZIP tool converts your JAR file into a ZIP file that you can open on Windows. The JAR file you want to convert may be on your computer or on a cloud service such as Google Drive or Dropbox. Also, if you have a JAR file URL, you can enter it and use this tool to convert it to a ZIP file.
Running JAR Files with the Java Runtime Environment
So far, we’ve discussed ways to view JAR files. If you want to run these files, you will need a Java runtime environment. Read our article on how to run JAR files on Windows to learn how to install Java on your computer and run JAR files in the Java Runtime Environment.
How do I open a JAR file in Windows?
How do I open a JAR file in Windows?
7 Best Apps to Open JAR Files on Windows