WinRAR is a common utility to compress the files in smaller size. It provides its user to protect the files with password while archiving it. This is done to secure the files from unnecessary people. No one will be able to access the file unless password is typed. But what if you have shared the password with wrong person, then you ought to change the password so that it can be inaccessible. Other case could be that the owner has lost the password. In this case you will lose all the content in the RAR archive. The best way to tackle this situation is to reset WinRAR password. How to do this? Here are some methods you can try.

Option 1. Reset Known WinRAR Password

If you know the password for the RAR file, then it is a piece of cake to reset the password. In this method instead of removing or recovering the password for the secured archive file you will reset the WinRAR password. So, follow the steps for how to reset WinRAR password.

Step 1: Open the WinRAR file. Click on the Extract To button and select the destination folder where you want to extract the content.

extract file to reset winrar password

Step 2: Enter the password and click on OK to start the extraction process.

enter winrar password

Step 3: When the extraction process is done, select the files and right click and select Add to archive.

add to archive

Step 4: Type Archive name and click on the Set password.

set password in winrarrar

Step 5: Enter password for the archive and then reenter for verification.

verify winrar password

Step 6: Click on OK and you have reset the password for the files.

Option 2. Reset Forgotten WinRAR Password

In case you have forgotten the password, then try the following methods and you will be able to reset the password without any effort.

Method 1. Guess WinRAR Password from Your Frequently-used Ones

You can use this method when you have forgotten the password, or the password is unknown. You can always guess the password from the passwords you frequently use. WinRAR provides the utility to organize passwords for you, so if you not seem to remember the password, you can check them. For WInRAR change password is also available in the organize password dialogue box. To reset the password, follow the steps:

Step 1: Open the secured WinRAR file, and Extract To the destination folder.

extract rar file

Step 2: Click on the down arrow key and you will get all the passwords you frequently use. Guess the password for the archive file. The extraction will be done.

guess winrar password

Step 3: Now again select the files and right click on them. Select Add to archive.

add to archive

Step 4: Enter the name for the archive file and click on Set password.

set password

Step 5: Enter the password and verify it by reentering the password. Click on OK and you have reset the password.

verify password

Method 2. Reset WinRAR Password Online

This method is used when the password is not in the Organize password section. When you download a RAR file and if it is password protected you cannot open the file because there is no password managed in an online RAR file. So you can try the online tool because an easy way to tackle this problem. You can reset WinRAR password with this method, just follow these steps.

Step 1: First you have to go to this website lostmypass.com.

open lostmypass

Step 2: Now click on WinRAR in the File Types section.

rar file types

Step 3: You will get on this page. Here you have to upload the file. You can drag the file here or click on the button.

upload rar file

Step 4: When you click on the button, you will be prompted to this window. Select the file.

select rar file

Step 5: After uploading the file, the online tool will start recovering the password.

rar password recovery process

Step 6: When the recovery process is done you will get the password.

recover rar password successfully

Method 3. Reset WinRAR Archive Password with Notepad/CMD

The online recovery tool is a better option then guessing the passwords but there is limitation to this method. You cannot upload big files so end up in vain. For WinRAR password reset this method is practical. Even it is a little tricky and you need some computer skills, but it is a better option when you cannot guess password or upload files online for password recovery. Follow these steps and you will be able to the job effortlessly.

Step 1: Open Notepad. For this press Win + R and type notepad.exe and press Enter.

open notepad

Step 2: Copy the following code in notepad file. This code will help to retrieve the password.

@echo off
title WinRar Password Retriever
copy "C:\Program Files\WinRAR\Unrar.exe"
SET PASS=0
SET TMP=TempFold
MD %TMP%
:RAR
cls
echo.
SET/P "NAME=File Name: "
IF "%NAME%"=="" goto ProblemDetected
goto GPATH
:ProblemDetected
echo You can't leave this blank.
pause
goto RAR
:GPATH
SET/P "PATH=Enter Full Path (eg: C:\Users\Admin\Desktop) : "
IF "%PATH%"=="" goto PERROR
goto NEXT
:PERROR
echo You can't leave this blank.
pause
goto RAR
:NEXT
IF EXIST "%PATH%\%NAME%" GOTO SP
goto PATH
:PATH
cls
echo File couldn't be found. Make sure you include the (.RAR) extension at the end of the file's name.
pause
goto RAR
:SP
echo.
echo Breaking Password...
echo.
:START
title Processing...
SET /A PASS=%PASS%+1
UNRAR E -INUL -P%PASS% "%PATH%\%NAME%" "%TMP%"
IF /I %ERRORLEVEL% EQU 0 GOTO FINISH
GOTO START
:FINISH
RD %TMP% /Q /S
Del "Unrar.exe"
cls
title 1 Password Found
echo.
echo File = %NAME%
echo Stable Password= %PASS%
echo.
echo Press any key to exit.
pause>NUL
exit

Step 3: You have to save the notepad file as Break.bat. Now it will run as a Command Prompt program.

save batch file

Step 4: After saving the file open it. Enter the File Name.

enter batch file

Step 5: Enter the Full Path where you have saved the RAR file.

enter file path

Step 6: When you will press Enter, it will start the process to break password.

breaking password

Step 7: you have to sometime until it breaks the password of the WinRAR file.

rar password found

Method 4. Reset WinRAR File with PassFab Software

The best method to reset WinRAR password is by using this application. PassFab for RAR is professional tool to recover the forgotten password for your RAR file. You can quickly and easily recover the password without any trouble. Not only this is fast but also it is secured, and your data will not be damaged while it recovers the password. It provides 3 recovery modes.

  • Brute-force Attack: This will try ever possible character combination.
  • Brute-force with Mask Attack: In this attack you can provide different password parameters such as min length, max length, prefix, suffix, characters used in "Settings".
  • Dictionary Attack: In this mode you can select a dictionary which is text file listing character combinations.

Follow these steps to reset the password.

Step 1: Install the PassFab for RAR. You can download the software from here.

passfab for rar password recovery

Step 2: Run the software and import the secured RAR archive file.

import rar file in passfab for rar

Step 3: After importing the file, select the recovery mode: Dictionary Attack, Brute Force with Mask Attack or Brute Force Attack.

dictionary attack in passfab for rar

Step 4: Click on Start. You will get the password when the process will be done.

recover rar password successfully in passfab for rar

Now you are familiar with almost all the methods which can be used to reset the WinRAR password. These are the common methods you find on the internet which we have gathered in one place. You just need some basic computer skills to carry out these easy methods. But personally, I would recommend you to use PassFab for RAR application as it is free and have a simple interface. You can easily and effortlessly reset the password for your WinRAR archive file.