Interface settings dialog


To activate this dialog select "Settings…" command in Options menu and click on "Interface" tab. The dialog contents are described below.

Color mode

"Light" and "Dark" options enable light and dark interface modes unconditionally. "System default" sets the dark mode if it is turned on in Windows color settings for applications.

Depending on Windows version, WinRAR dark mode might include individual elements of light interface mode. Only the main WinRAR interface supports the dark mode, self-extracting modules and installer always use the light interface mode.

History/Keep archives history

By default WinRAR keeps names of a few recently opened archives in File menu, so you may quickly access them again. But if you need to disable it, for example, for security purposes, you may clear this option.

Also, if this option is on, WinRAR adds opened archives to Windows recent documents list. If "Keep archives history" is off, Windows maintains the recent documents list itself and in such case archive names may or may not be added to it depending on Windows version and settings.

History/Allow history in dialogs

Some input fields in many WinRAR dialogs support lists of previously entered strings, which allow to restore a earlier entered value (an archive name, destination path, etc.) quickly. It may save user's time, but like the previous option, security of such feature may be questionable in multi-user environment. So if you share your computer with other people, you may wish to disable it.

Toolbar/Buttons size

Choose the toolbar buttons size. Available only with the default WinRAR interface theme.

Toolbar/Show buttons text

Controls displaying of button titles.

Toolbar/Lock toolbars

Prevent moving or resizing toolbars by user. You may enable this option to avoid an accidental modification of toolbars position or size after you already customized toolbars to your needs.

Toolbar/Toolbars…

Activates the dialog allowing to turn on or off the main WinRAR toolbar, the additional small toolbar containing "Up one level" button and address bar with path or archive information.

Toolbar/Buttons…

Press "Buttons…" to open the dialog, where you may choose toolbar buttons.

Miscellaneous/Activate Wizard on start

Switch WinRAR to Wizard mode, just after it started.

Miscellaneous/Enable sound

Enable WinRAR to produce sounds in case of errors or finishing long operations.

Miscellaneous/Show archive comment

Display comment window, if an opened archive has a comment.

Miscellaneous/Word wrap in comment

Toggle the word wrap in archive comment window.

Miscellaneous/Reuse existing window

If an attempt is made to open a new archive executing "WinRAR <arcname>" command or clicking on archive icon and a WinRAR window already exists, the archive will be opened in the already existing window. If this option is not enabled, a new window will be created.

Miscellaneous/Always on top

Place WinRAR window above all other programs. You may set it if you frequently use WinRAR as a drag and drop target.

Miscellaneous/Full paths in title bar

Display the full path of currently opened folder or archive in WinRAR title bar.

Miscellaneous/Windows progress bars

This option controls look of progress bars in window displaying archiving and extraction progress. If enabled, WinRAR will use standard Windows progress bars. If disabled, WinRAR version of progress bars will be used. Windows progress bars are two color only, so unlike WinRAR progress bars they do not indicate the current compression ratio. But the compression percent is also displayed in separate line of progress window.

Miscellaneous/Taskbar progress bar

If this option is enabled, WinRAR displays the total operation progress also on WinRAR icon in Windows taskbar.