How to Extract a Split Archive

Short answer: Split archives can be extracted on macOS with an archive utility such as ZipGood, which joins split volumes automatically — you open the first part and ZipGood handles the rest.

The problem

Split archives arrive as many separate parts (.7z.001, .z01, .part1.rar) and the built-in tools cannot join them.

How this problem shows up

  • The download is a set of files such as .7z.001, .7z.002, or .part1.rar, .part2.rar
  • Opening a part directly fails with a "file is incomplete" or "unexpected end of archive" error
  • You are unsure which part to open first
  • macOS Archive Utility cannot read the parts at all

How to solve it

  1. Keep all parts of the split archive in the same folder and do not rename them
  2. Open the first volume only — for example .7z.001, .z01 or .part1.rar
  3. Use an archive utility such as ZipGood that joins split archives automatically
  4. If the archive is encrypted, provide the password once for the whole set

How ZipGood solves this

Download on the Mac App Store

Frequently asked questions

How to Extract a Split Archive

Split archives can be extracted on macOS with an archive utility such as ZipGood, which joins split volumes automatically — you open the first part and ZipGood handles the rest.

Does macOS solve this on its own?

macOS includes a basic archive tool that creates and opens ZIP files. It has no support for RAR or 7z, no encryption options, and no split-volume support, which is why a dedicated archive utility such as ZipGood is needed for these cases.

Is there a free way to do this on Mac?

The built-in macOS tools are free but limited. ZipGood is a one-time purchase on the Mac App Store, and can create archives in 14 output formats and extract 25+ formats, including RAR.

Related content

Guides

Common problems

Archive formats

7zRARZIP

Sources

Product facts on this page were last verified on October 2, 2026.