ARC lossless data compression and archive format
File type: Archive and compressed file
Files with arc extension can be typically found as archives compressed using the ARC lossless data compression method, originally created by SAE.
Found 10 different file type records with the same arc filename suffix.
File type category:
Archive and compressed file
Date updated: November 20, 2023
File extension arc is mainly related to ARC, a lossless data compression and archival format created by System Enhancement Associated (SAE).
It was very popular format during the early days of networked Bulletin Board System (BBS).
The ARC format made obsolete the use of combinations of the SQ program to compress files and the LU program to create the LBR archives by combining the functions of both compression and archiving into single program.
There are several extension variants of this format. Beside arc, there is also ark and sue format This archive file format was also used by PKARC, QUARK and SQUASH.
It is likely that many programs used this format to pack their files, either for backup or file archiving purpose.
Note: There is a program called FreeArc that also uses arc extension for its archives. It is a different format.
Many file compression utiltiies nowadays support the original ARC format.
As this format is well supported, you may freely repack .arc archives to other compressed archives, including the common RAR, ZIP or 7zip archives.
ALZip (Microsoft Windows)
IZArc (Microsoft Windows)
PeaZip (Microsoft Windows)
FreeArc (Microsoft Windows)
IZArc (Microsoft Windows)
PeaZip (Microsoft Windows)
ALZip (Microsoft Windows)
ALZip (Microsoft Windows)
IZArc (Microsoft Windows)
PeaZip (Microsoft Windows)
ZipZag (Microsoft Windows)
Stuffit (Microsoft Windows)
WinZip (Microsoft Windows)
FreeArc (Microsoft Windows)
PowerArchiver (Microsoft Windows)
StuffIt for Mac (Apple macOS / Mac OS X)
The Unarchiver (Apple macOS / Mac OS X)
StuffIt Expander for Mac (Apple macOS / Mac OS X)
File type category:
Various data file
Date updated: April 16, 2019
The arc file extension is also related to a special chemistry format used in Accelrys/MSI Biosym/Insight II. It is described as CAR format, but uses both car and arc file extensions.
This file type can be read by some chemistry software like Open Babel.
Possibly can be converted to other molecular files through some common exchange formats.
Open Babel (Multiplatform)
OpenBabel (On-line services)
Insight II (Linux/Unix)
File type category:
Game file
Date updated: November 16, 2016
The arc file extension is related to Just Cause, Mad Max and other computer games for various platforms based on Avalanche video gaming engine developed by Avalanche Studios.
The arc file stores archive with various game data, like graphics, sounds, models, textures etc.
Avalanche Engine games contains several *.arc archives, which are called game0.arc, game1.arc, game2.arc, etc. and they are about 822 MB size.
Avalanche Studios games:
Use ArchiveViewer to view content and extract data from Avalanche Engine archives.
ArchiveViewer (Microsoft Windows)
ArchiveViewer (Microsoft Windows)
Just Cause 2 (Microsoft Windows)
Just Cause 3 (Multiplatform)
Mad Max (Multiplatform)
File type category:
Game file
Date updated: September 25, 2018
The arc file extension is also used for game data files from the Cabela's African Safari video game.
Shares some extensions as ARC compressed archive, but it is not the same format and cannot be extracted by standard file archivers.
It is unlikely users can access these .arc data files directly.
These files are not meant to be converted to anything else.
Cabela's African Safari (Microsoft Windows)
File type category:
Archive and compressed file
Date updated: September 4, 2018
The arc file extension is also used by FreeArc, a file archiver made by Bulat Ziganshin.
The program uses the same extension for its default archive as the old ARC format, however it is completely different format.
It seems this archive format can only be handled by FreeArc.
You can repack this type of .arc archives to other formats, including ZIP, RAR or 7-zip. This can only be done using FreeArc.
FreeArc (Microsoft Windows)
FreeArc (Microsoft Windows)
FreeArc (Microsoft Windows)
File type category:
3d graphics, CAD-CAM-CAE file
Date updated: July 12, 2024
The arc file extension is also reported to be used in I-DEAS, a CAD software, originally by UGS now owned by Siemens.
This type of .arc files seems to be some sort of export archive used to transfer parts or assemblies from one system to another.
Except for I-DEAS and several CAD/3D modelling software support this file type.
It looks like some CAD viewers or converters may be able to export this file type, or rather export it contents and save as separate files.
I-DEAS (Other operating systems or devices)
CrossManager (Microsoft Windows)
RiverTools (Microsoft Windows)
Online CAD Viewer (Multiplatform)
Online CAD converter (On-line services)
I-DEAS (Other operating systems or devices)
File type category:
Game file
Date updated: September 4, 2018
The arc file extension is also used by by some Nintendo gaming consoles (GameCube and Wii) to store data on ROM game cartridges. Usually for music and other game data.
This format is unrelated to the original ARC format and cannot be decompressed using standard file archives.
Some unofficial utilities can access this type of *.arc files for modding purposes.
This file type is not suited for conversion, however some modding utilities can probably extract the contents.
File type category:
Backup file
Date updated: January 2, 2025
The arc file extension is also related to special backup format used in the past on Nokia Symbian OS devices.
This type of .arc files contains backup of various stuff found on the phone, including messages, calendars and other data.
Example: backup.arc
Can be restored to the device using Nokia PC Suite. Several 3rd party utilities for Nokia can also access and explore these files.
It is possible to convert these files to other formats using software like Nokia NbuExplorer or Noki. You can extract contacts from backup file etc.
Nokia Suite (Microsoft Windows)
Noki (Microsoft Windows)
Nokia Suite (Microsoft Windows)
Nokia NbuExplorer (Microsoft Windows)
Nokia Suite (Microsoft Windows)
Noki (Microsoft Windows)
File type category:
Backup file
Date updated: October 31, 2018
The arc file extension is also used for backup files generated by Symantec Norton 360 backup software.
This type of .arc file can contain all kind of data backup, usually individual folders or whole drives. Often such .arc file is pretty large in size and can take up many TB of space.
You can recover this type of *.arc archives only using Norton 360. No other program can access them.
No conversion for this file type is possible.
Norton 360 (Microsoft Windows)
Norton 360 (Microsoft Windows)
Norton 360 (Microsoft Windows)
Norton 360 (Microsoft Windows)
File type category:
Various data file
Date updated: March 2, 2011
The ARC file extension is associated with the Orgadata LogiKal.
LogiKal (Microsoft Windows)
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