JAR File - opening and understanding
Did your computer fail to open a JAR file? We explain what they are used for and recommend software that we know can open or otherwise handle your .JAR files.
What is a JAR file?
A .JAR file is a Java Archive file. Files with the .jar file extension contain programs developed in Java, a programming language invented by Sun Microsystems.
These jar files are compressed archive files that use the ZIP format to bundle several compiled java classes and related metadata into single files for easy distribution.
The content of JAR files can be extracted and inspected using archive tools, just like ZIP files. However, if you wish to run the program contained within a JAR file, you need to install the Java Runtime Environment on your computer.
How to open JAR files
You will need a program compatible with the specific file you are trying to open, as different programs may use files with file extension JAR for different purposes. We have identified 4 JAR openers for Windows that is compatible with this specific type of JAR file.
Programs that open these files
Other file formats using extension .JAR
While Java Archive is a popular type of JAR-file, we know of 2 different uses of the .JAR extension.
The JAR file extension indicates to your device which app can open the file. However, different apps may use the same file extension for different types of data. So a JAR opener may not be able to open all kinds of JAR files. In this case, look through both formats to make sure you find the best suited JAR viewer.
QiC JAR ebook
These type of JAR files contain an ebook that has been converted into a Java program, making it possible to run (display) them on devices supporting java.
You usually do not need to edit or view these files, as they only contain information usable by the software program that uses them.
Various viewers for this file format
These apps are known to open certain types of JAR files. Remember, different programs may use JAR files for different purposes, so you may need to try out a few of them to be able to open your specific file.
 | WavePad Sound Editor | User submitted |
 | Switch Sound File Converter | User submitted |
 | Pixillion Image Converter | User submitted |
 | Java Platform SE | User submitted |
 | Bandizip | User submitted |
 | WinAce Archiver | User submitted |
 | PowerArchiver | User submitted |
 | Lhaca | User submitted |
 | WoopieZIP | User submitted |
 | Filzip | User submitted |
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