In short: WinRAR has no built-in sync, but you can get identical setups everywhere by exporting your settings (the HKCU\Software\WinRAR registry key) plus your rarreg.key licence, and by keeping your archives in a cloud-synced folder.

Sync WinRAR Between Devices

Get the same settings, licence and archives on every PC

If you use WinRAR on more than one computer, you probably want the same file associations, default compression, theme and registered status on each — and access to the same archives. Because WinRAR stores its configuration in your Windows user profile, copying it across is quick.

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How to sync WinRAR step by step

Export your WinRAR settings on the first PC

Press Win+R, type regedit, Enter. Go to HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\WinRAR, right-click → Export, and save winrar-settings.reg. This holds your associations, theme, default options and saved paths.

Copy your licence file

If you are a registered user, copy rarreg.key from the WinRAR program folder (usually C:\Program Files\WinRAR\). This is what makes the other PCs registered too.

Move both files to the other device

Put winrar-settings.reg and rarreg.key on a USB stick or in your cloud folder, then open them on the second PC.

Import settings and licence

On the second PC, double-click winrar-settings.reg and confirm the merge, then copy rarreg.key into that PC’s WinRAR program folder. Restart WinRAR — it now matches the first PC.

Keep your archives in a cloud folder

Store the .rar/.zip files you want everywhere inside your OneDrive/Drive/Dropbox folder. The cloud client syncs them automatically, and WinRAR on each device opens them from that folder. For a full walkthrough see WinRAR cloud sync setup.

Encrypt anything sensitive first

Before putting private files in the cloud, pack them into a password-protected, AES-256 archive (a “vault”). See back up your WinRAR vault for how to do this safely.

Related Sync & Backup guides

WinRAR cloud sync setup

Auto-sync archives via OneDrive, Drive or Dropbox.

Back up your WinRAR vault

Protect encrypted archives the right way.

Reinstall without losing settings

The same settings export, for repairs.

← Back to Sync & Backup

The full WinRAR sync & backup hub.

Frequently asked questions

Can WinRAR sync between devices automatically?

Not on its own — WinRAR has no built-in sync. You sync the settings/licence once by exporting the HKCU\Software\WinRAR registry key and copying rarreg.key, and you sync the archives by keeping them in a cloud folder such as OneDrive, Google Drive or Dropbox.

Where are my WinRAR settings stored?

In the registry under HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\WinRAR. Export that key to a .reg file and import it on the other device to copy your configuration.

Will syncing carry over my paid licence?

Yes. Copy the rarreg.key file from the WinRAR program folder to the same folder on the other PC, and that machine becomes registered too.

Is it safe to keep my archives in the cloud?

It is, provided sensitive files are inside a password-protected AES-256 archive before they are uploaded, so the cloud provider only ever stores encrypted data.