Unrar Switch to Keep Broken Files Failing CRC

When extracting archives using the unrar command line utility, files that fail the Cyclic Redundancy Check (CRC) are automatically deleted by default. This guide explains how to use the -kb switch to retain damaged or incomplete files during extraction, demonstrates the correct syntax, and outlines why preserving these files can be beneficial.

The command line switch that tells unrar to keep files that fail the CRC check is -kb (Keep Broken).

Syntax and Examples

To extract an archive while preserving its original directory structure and keeping all damaged or corrupt files, use the x command accompanied by the -kb flag:

unrar x -kb archive.rar

If you prefer to extract all files directly into the current directory without preserving subdirectories, use the e command:

unrar e -kb archive.rar

You can also specify a target destination folder at the end of the command:

unrar x -kb archive.rar /path/to/destination/

Why Keep Broken Files?

By default, unrar purges any extracted file that does not match the checksum recorded in the archive header. While this safeguard prevents corrupted executables or critical binaries from being used, it can be counterproductive for media files. Incomplete or partially damaged video, audio, text, or image files can often still be partially read, rendered, or salvaged by media players and recovery tools. Using the -kb switch ensures that whatever data can be extracted remains on your disk.