List Files in Multi-Volume RAR Using Unrar

This article explains how to view the complete list of files stored across all parts of a split, multi-volume RAR archive without extracting them. By using the command-line unrar utility targeted at the first volume, you can inspect the full contents of spanned archives quickly and efficiently.

The Command

To list all files across a multi-volume archive, point the unrar command to the first volume using either the l (list) or v (verbose list) switch:

unrar l archive.part01.rar

or for a detailed view:

unrar v archive.part01.rar

When pointed at the first volume, unrar automatically detects that the archive is part of a multi-volume set and traverses all subsequent parts (e.g., part02.rar, part03.rar) located in the same directory to compile the complete file list.

Command Variations and Options

Depending on your output needs, unrar offers several list modifiers:

1. Standard List (l)

Displays basic file details including file name, size, packed size, ratio, date, time, and permissions:

unrar l archive.part1.rar

2. Verbose List (v)

Shows comprehensive details, including technical file attributes, compression method, and which specific volume each file begins or ends on:

unrar v archive.part1.rar

3. Bare Name List (lb or vb)

Outputs only the file paths, one per line. This is ideal for piping output to tools like grep, awk, or writing to a text file:

unrar lb archive.part01.rar

Handling Legacy Naming Conventions

Older multi-volume RAR archives use the .rar, .r00, .r01 naming scheme instead of .part01.rar. For these archives, point the command at the .rar file:

unrar l archive.rar

As long as the .r00, .r01, and subsequent files remain in the same working directory, unrar will automatically index all contents spanning the remaining volumes.