The RARLAB team has introduced a major update for its iconic archiver — WinRAR 7.10 and RAR 7.10. Released in mid-February 2025, this update not only strengthens its competition with giants like 7-Zip but also reaffirms WinRAR’s status as one of the longest-surviving projects in the IT industry. Originally launched in 1993, the software continues to evolve, shedding outdated platforms and integrating cutting-edge innovations.
Performance optimization remains the program’s strongest asset. With support for Large Memory Pages and up to 64 logical processors, WinRAR now delivers unprecedented data processing speeds, even outpacing the LZMA2 algorithm. However, the developers openly admit that when using dictionaries of up to 4GB, compression efficiency still lags behind 7-Zip. To make up for this, WinRAR offers unique features like built-in recovery data for damaged archives and extended metadata, including file creation, modification, and last access timestamps — capabilities unavailable in alternative solutions.
The revamped settings menu now features vertical tabs (“Interface” and “System”) for easier navigation, while the adaptive dark mode can sync with Windows settings or be adjusted manually. Even WinRAR’s social media team is keeping up with trends—their X account personally thanks every user who purchases a license.
The software has fully moved on from the 32-bit era and Windows Vista, now requiring at least Windows 7 x64. This follows the discontinuation of Windows XP support in 2022 and the patching of vulnerability CVE-2023-40477 in 2023, which had allowed malicious code execution via fake RAR archives.
WinRAR 7.10 isn’t just a tool — it’s a living piece of IT history. From FreeBSD support to Android compatibility, from customizable dark themes to machine learning in background processes, this archiver — having withstood five decades of technological revolutions—proves that even in the age of cloud computing, local solutions remain relevant when developers embrace change.