Corrupt a RAR Archive Online
Corrupt a RAR archive online for free. Destroys the RAR signature, file headers and end-of-archive block so WinRAR cannot repair it.
- No upload
- No size limit
- No sign-up
Corrupt your RAR file
Tuned for .rar, .r00, .part1.rar, and works with every other format too.
Why RAR files are hard to corrupt properly
RAR is the archive format most resistant to corruption, because it was designed for it. Recovery records let WinRAR rebuild damaged volumes, and its repair mode reconstructs headers from surviving fragments. Breaking a RAR reliably means removing every landmark that repair depends on.
What this tool destroys
- The RAR signature. The
Rar!\x1A\x07marker block at the start of the file is destroyed, so the archive is not recognised. - File headers. The header blocks describing each stored file (name, size, CRC and offset) are overwritten.
- The end-of-archive block. The terminating block that marks a complete archive is destroyed, so it also reads as truncated.
- Recovery records. Entropy scattered through the body damages any recovery record stored alongside the data.
What you will see afterwards
| Application | Behaviour |
|---|---|
| WinRAR | "The archive is either in unknown format or damaged." Repair produces nothing usable. |
| 7-Zip | "Cannot open file as archive." |
| The Unarchiver on macOS | Reports the file as an unsupported or corrupt archive. |
unrar l | Fails immediately with a bad-archive error. |
Common reasons people do this
- Testing that a download manager detects a corrupt multi-part archive.
- Verifying an extraction service reports failure rather than hanging.
- Rehearsing a restore where the archive itself is the damaged component.
- Checking that a scanner handles malformed RAR input safely.
How to corrupt a RAR file
- Drop your .rar file onto the box above, or click to browse.
- Leave the level on Standard unless you want partial damage (Light) or need to defeat recovery software (Heavy).
- Press Corrupt file. Processing happens on your device, so it finishes almost immediately.
- Download the result. It keeps the original filename and byte length by default.
RAR FAQ
Will WinRAR's recovery record save it?
No. Recovery records are stored inside the archive and are scattered with entropy along with everything else.
Does it work on multi-part archives?
Yes, per file. Corrupt the part you want damaged, extraction then fails at that volume.
Is RAR5 supported as well as RAR4?
Yes. Both generations begin with the same signature family, and the header blocks are targeted the same way.
Can the contents be extracted partially?
No. Without file headers there is no way to know where any entry begins.