Trying to extract a RAR, ZIP, or another archive format but WinRAR keeps displaying a checksum error? In most cases, this indicates a problem with your archive. Luckily, you can follow a few troubleshooting tips to fix the underlying items and resolve your issue. Here’s how.
Why Am I Getting a Checksum Error in WinRAR?
WinRAR displays a checksum error when your archive or your archive’s contents are corrupted. The app runs an integrity check while extracting the files, and that check fails as you have corrupt files in your archive, leading to the above error message.
The error stops extraction of your archive, preventing you from accessing your archive’s files. This function is meant to protect you and your device.
How to Resolve a Checksum Error in WinRAR
Many problems can cause WinRAR to display a checksum error, so you’ll likely have to follow multiple fixes before you can resolve your issue. Here are the options you can try.
Use WinRAR’s “Keep Broken Files” Feature
By default, when WinRAR finds a corrupted file during extraction, it deletes that file immediately. This is because it thinks the file is useless as it’s corrupted. However, in some cases, you can recover partial data even from corrupted files, or repair those files with various repair tools available in the market.
In this situation, ask WinRAR to keep your broken files while extraction. This ensures the app doesn’t delete your files, even if those files are corrupted.
To do that, find your archive on your computer, right-click it, and choose WinRAR> Extract Files.
On the open window, in the “Miscellaneous” section, enable the “Keep Broken Files” option. Then, at the bottom of the window, click “OK.”
WinRAR will now extract your archive, keeping all your files (including the broken ones). You can now try to open your corrupted files or use your preferred tools to repair those files.
Repair Your Archive With WinRAR
If you aren’t sure how to repair the files after extracting them from the archive, WinRAR offers a repair option that you can use to repair your damaged archives. If the feature succeeds in repairing your archive, you can extract your archive without any checksum or other errors.
To use that option, open WinRAR on your computer. In the app’s built-in file manager, navigate to the folder containing your archive. Select your archive on the list, then at the top of the app, click “Repair.”
In the window that opens, click “Browse” and choose the folder where you want to save your repaired archive. From the “Archive Type” menu, if your archive is RAR, choose “Treat the Corrupted Archive as RAR.” If your archive is ZIP, select the “Treat the Corrupted Archive as ZIP” option.
Then, click OK.
WinRAR will begin repairing your archive. When it’s done, you’ll find the repaired archive in your chosen folder.
Sometimes, the issue isn’t with your archives but is with your extraction app. WinRAR itself may be experiencing issues, causing the checksum error to occur.
In this case, get an alternate archive app and use it to unarchive your archive’s contents. A free, open-source, and popular option is 7-Zip. Use this tool to extract your archive’s contents and see if that works.
If it does, you can try removing and reinstalling WinRAR on your computer to fix the app’s issues. Use the last section in this guide to learn how to do that.
Re-Download Your Archive
If you still can’t extract your archive and keep getting a checksum error, re-download your archive file. When you downloaded the file the last time, your download may have been interrupted, causing your archive to download as a corrupted file.
If your archive comes from a website, visit that site and redownload the file. If someone sent you the archive via email, ask them to re-send the file to you. If what you’re trying to download is a popular app or game, use an alternative (but trustworthy) source to download it, like Microsoft Store or Steam.
This method ensures the copy of your archive isn’t corrupted by default.
Turn Off Your Antivirus
If your archive contains a file that your computer’s antivirus thinks is malicious, your antivirus can block your access to that site. This leads WinRAR to display various error messages.
In this case, if you trust the file and its sender, temporarily turn off your antivirus program and then extract the file. Make sure to only do this for trusted files, as if your archive indeed has a malicious file, it can harm your computer.
To disable Windows 11 or Windows 10’s built-in antivirus, head into Windows Security> Virus & Threat Protection. Here, in the “Virus & Threat Protection Settings” section, click “Manage Settings.” Then, turn off the “Real-Time Protection” toggle.
Make sure to click “Yes” in the “User Account Control” prompt.
After disabling the antivirus, try to extract your archive. If your files extracted successfully, you can now re-enable your antivirus protection. However, the catch here is that your antivirus may delete your extracted file if it thinks your file has a threat. To prevent that, before re-enabling your antivirus protection, add your file to your antivirus tool’s exclusion list. This prevents the tool from scanning or removing your file.
Remove and Reinstall WinRAR
If you still can’t extract your archive, your WinRAR app may have issues. In this case, uninstall and reinstall the app to fix its issues.
On Windows 11, head into Settings> Apps> Installed Apps. Next to WinRAR on the list, click the three dots and choose “Uninstall.” In the open prompt, select “Uninstall.”
On Windows 10, navigate to Settings> Apps. Select WinRAR, click “Uninstall,” and choose “Uninstall.”
When you’ve removed the app, head to WinRAR’s website to download and install a fresh copy of the app on your computer. Then, use the newly-installed app to extract your archive’s contents.
And that’s how you get around a checksum error in WinRAR on your computer. Enjoy!